A Defense of the Sabbath Day

I.

The first evasion which I will deal withal, shall be their distinction of a Sabbath, & the Sabbath: for an argument being brought, for the morallity of the Sabbath day, out of the 4th come. they are ready to blunt the force of it, by this answer for one, to wit, that the word Sabbath may as well be translated a Sabbath, as the Sabbath.

To discover the vanity of this idle distinction, (for many care not how idly and absurdly they answer, so be they may say something against this sacred ordinance of God's) first, we must know what is the difference betwixt a Sabbath, and the Sabbath: by the Sabbath, is meant that common and well known Sabbath day, to wit, Saturday the 7th & last day of the week, the which the Jews kept for thousands of years, this I call the Sabbath emphatically and by way of excellency, and as a certain well known day. Now on the contrary, by a Sabbath, they would understand someone day of the 7, but uncertainly which: not any one rather then another, not any certain standing known day of the week; but so as the 4th commandment may indifferently be applied unto any day, as unto Sunday, or Monday, or Tewsday &c.

The sense of this distinction being given, the absurdity of it will appear by the like cases; the Lord said, let the earth bud forth the bud • f the herb &c. Genes. 1.11. were it not a senseless translation to render it thus, Let a earth bud forth &c? again, then the man said, the woman which thou gavest me, she gave me of the tree &c. Genes. 3.12. were it not an absurd translation to render it thus, then a man said, a woman which thou gavest me &c? as well may they translate it a earth for the earth, a man and a woman for the man and the woman, as a Sabbath for the Sabbath: for as there was but one earth, and but one man, and one woman, so was there but one Sabbath day. Again, suppose a commandment had been given in the New Testament, for the Lord's day, in the same form of words with the 4th come. for the Sabbath day, saying, Remember the Lord's day, to sanctify it &c. But the first day of the week, is the Lord's day, in it thou shalt do no work &c. for on the first day, the Lord rose from the dead, and therefore the Lord blessed the Lord's day and hallowed it: If any now should frame such a distinction against our Lord's day Sabbath, saying, this name Lord's day, may be translated a Lord's day, that so he might turn the sense of the commandment, from that day which hath so many hundreds of years been known, & called by the name Lord's day, unto any day of the week, would not the Patrones of the Lord's day, cry fie on such a man? it is pity he lives, that will so corrupt the Scriptures? the case is their own; I appeal unto their consciences, if by these answers, they have not as shamefully corrupted and abused this portion of God's Law the 4th come.

2. Whereas they say, the name Sabbath may be translated a Sabbath, that this translation is unfit, and disagreing to the Scriptures and contextes, I allege, against them, all the learned translatoures both new and old, that ever translated the Bible, for they all constantly, do render it the Sabbath not a Sabbath.

3. If by the name Sabbath in the 4th come. was meant a Sabbath, uncertainly what day of the week, then this absurdity follows, that the Jews were not bound distinctly unto the Saturday Sabbath which they always kept, and held, themselves bound to keep, but that they might have kept Sunday, Monday, or some other day, in imitation of God, and in memory of the Creation. Yea further, since all men confess, that the Jews by Sabbath day understood the Saturday, if now it be otherwise understood, then one & the same word shall have one sense for 2000 years and more, and afterwards, the same word shall have another sense: and so the words in Scripture shall change their sense, as the times change; what is more absurd?

4. The absurdity of this distinction yet appeareth in this also; for since there was never any day of the week, weekly called Sabbath day, in all the Scriptures, but the Saturday only, how can any man in his right wits, apply the 4th come. to any day but Saturday? it is as absurd, as if one should suppose two Saturdayes in a week, a Saturday & the Saturday: or two Christmas days in one year, a Christmas day, and the Christmas day. I confess we call now a days Sunday, Sabbath day, but what matters it what we call, who take liberty to call, and to miscale days at our pleasure? but I speak of a Divine nomination of days, used in the Scriptures; for neither Prophets nor Apostles did ever call the Sunday, or Lord's day, Sabbath day, nor any other day of the week save Saturday. Since therefore there is but one day in a week named Sabbath day, by Divine computation, how can there be a Sabbath day, and the Sabbath day?

5. In my exp • sition of the 4th commandment I have at large proved it, that by Sabbath day, in the 4th come. we must understand the Sabbath day emphatically, that is, Saturday, & not a Sabbath day, at rouers & at random; unto which profess forepast I refer my Reader, see my Exposition, upon these words Sabbath day.

6. The absurdity of this distinction appeareth in this; if this word Sabbath, should be translated a Sabbath, then one & the same word, should have diverse senses in one and the same commandment: for the name Sabbath, at the latter end of the commandment Exod. 20.11. must be translated the Sabbath; for it was not any day of the week which God blessed at the Creation, but it was Saturday the 7th day only and certainly: it is absurd therefore, to translate the same name Sabbath, at the beginning of the commandment Exod. 20.8. otherwise, as a Sabbath, as of a day at random and uncertain. And so much for this distinction.

II.

A second evasion I will touch, and it is there distinction of a 7th day, and the 7th day: let a man urge those words of the 4th come. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord &c. to prove that we must sanctify the old Sabbath day which is the 7th day, and they will make this for one of their answers, that the commandment speaks of a 7th day not of the 7th day: by a 7th day, they understand some day or other of the week, at rouers and at random, but not any one certain day of the week. Were there nothing else against this distinction, this one were enough, that by refusing the 7th day which implieth a settled, well known, & certain day of the week, to embrace a 7th day, at rouers, as an uncertain time, hereby they labor to make things known when, unknown when, things certain to be uncertain: as if they delighted in uncertainties; and as if God should require a time for his worship, but no man knew when.

2. Were this answer tolerable, what should stand firm in the Scriptures? God commanded circumcision on the 8th day, had some of our times lived in those times, they could by this Law, have circumcised a child on the 9th or 10th day, & made it in their accompt a 8th day, though not the 8th day: for if they would but skip over the first or second day of the child's birth, not rekoning them, then the 9th day or 10th day, would be a 8th day. The Lord commanded the Passover to be eaten on the 14th day of the month: loe we have some, by a new devised computation, could have justified it, that by the same Law, they might have eaten the Passover on the 15th or 16th day of the month, and all well enough: for they could make the 15th or 16th day of the month an 14th day though not the 14th day: for having said, that the commandment may be understood of a 14th day, they can thus make it good; they will not rekone the first day of the month for any of the number, but begin their account at the second day, and so the 15th day will become a 14th day, is not this pretty juggling? think you that these men think they have to do with a God, when they thus expound his commandments? or with some babe or child that cannot tell to 7 or to 14? but they will say perhapes, they do not so rekone nor skip over days &c. But that this is false, I thus prove it: our Sunday, or Lord's day is not only the first day of the week, in our common account; and in the computation of all Churches Jews and Christians, Protestants and Papists; but also it is called the first day of the week, constantly in the Scriptures, see Mat. 28.1. Mark. 16.2. Luk. 24.1. John. 20.1.19. Act. 20.7. ii. Cor. 16.2. Now that our new Sabbathariās, might make their Lord's day Sabbath, to become a 7th day, & so accord to the 4th come. they must skip over Sunday in their accompt, not rekoning it for the first day of the number, & so begin their rekoning at Monday, counting Monday for the first day of the week, & then the Sunday or Lord's day following will be a 7th day: thus by their distinction & cuning juggling together, that day which our Church & all Churches cales dies octavus the 8th day, these have made it a 7th day: & that day which the Scriptures call, the first day, the same they have made a 7th day.

I abhor with my heart & soul, to see God's people thus deluded, and his sacred Scripture, I mean his 4th come. thus abused, and made a nose of wax to be turned hither and thither as the times please. I know some are ready to wish I had spent my time better, then to have meddled in this point of the Sabbath, so in love they are with their wonted errors: and others, have wished me and my book hanged up together, with the like, so rash is their furiouse zeal for their new Sabbath, and so mad they are and enraged against me for discovering this their abhominable abuse, both of God's people and the sacred Scriptures: but whither I have done well or evil in this point, and whither they or I do rather deserve this censure, I leave to the indifferent and impartial reader.

3. An other absurdity against this distinction is, that if a 7th day may be understood in the 4th commandment indefinitely & uncertainly, then were not the Jews tied to sanctify the Saturday Sabbath, no more then any other day in the week.

4. All Translatores both new and old, are against them: for they constantly translate it the 7th day, as the most fit, not a 7th day.

5. Since there is no more 7th days, then there is Saturdaies in a week, it is a foolish distinction to talk of a 7th day, as if there were or could be more 7th days in a week then one: for since our Sunday or Lord's day, is the first day, in a Divine account, as hath been proved, and also in all other approved computationes, therefore Saturday following, and only Saturday must be both the 7th day, and a 7th day without difference.

6. That it must be translated, and also expounded of the 7th day, to wit, Saturday, and not of a 7th day uncertainly which day, I have proved it in my Exposition of these words of the 4th come. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord &c. Unto which place I refer my reader.

7. The absurdity of this distinction appeareth thus: if the word seventh, may be translated a 7th, as of a day uncertain, then one and the same word, in one and the same commandment, should have diverse senses: for the word seventh, at the latter end of the commandment Exod. 20.11. must be translated the 7th, as of a day certain: for God rested the 7th day, to wit, on Saturday Genes. 2.3. it is absurd therefore to translate the word seventh, in the former parte of the commandment Exod. 20.10. a 7th, as a day uncertain. And so much for this distinction.

III.

A third evasion they have, & this is very frequent in all men's mouths, let a man urge the 4th come. for the Saturday Sabbath, & your answer shall be this, One of Seven, the 4th come. it enjoineth one day of 7, so they reject the 7th day, and will have one of 7. Thus they lean upon this false exposition of the come. that by the 7th day, is to be vnsterstod one day of the 7: by one of 7 they mean any one of the 7, or someone day of the 7 or other without difference. Thus these enemies to God's Sabbath, do corrupt the proper sense of the scriptures, rather then they will see their old errors, and be take them to a reformation; glad they are if they can invent anything, for the subversion of this sacred ordinance God's Sabbath day.

My first argument against this evasion shall be this, that the word Seauenth used in the 4th come. it is not a Cardinal as they call it, but an Ordinall word of number; it noteth but one of that number, and its order also, as that it is the last for order of that number named; thus the Tēth, is not any one of the 10, but the last for order of the 10. The fowrth month of the year, it is not any one month of the 4, but the last month of the 4, so the Seauenth day of the week, it is not any day of the 7, but the last for order of all the 7. they do therefore most shamefully corrupt the word of God, who when they hear God say, But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord, which 7th is the last day of the number or week, then they will come in with their devices to defeat God of his day and time, saying, by the 7th, may be meant one of 7, or, someone day of the 7, that is, as well the first day of the week, or any other, as the last day.

2. The absurdity of this answer and exposition, may appear by the like cases: The passover was by the Law to be eaten upon the 14th day of the month; now according to these Expositors of God's Law, a man might have eaten the passover upon one of the 14 days, as on the 5th or 8th or 12th day, and iustifiably too; for their Exposition of God's law is, by 14th to understand one of 14, or, someone day of the 14, that is, any one day of the 14. Again, they were to circumcise a child on the 8th day, I, say these men, that is, upon one or upon someone of the 8 days: so they might at their choice, circumcise a child on the 4th or 6th day of its age: thus by their exposititiones they make God's Laws of none effect: for God made choice of one certain day above all others, and these have made all days common; God would have the 7th day which is the last of the 7 for his Sabbath, but these tell us, one of 7, someone of 7, or any one of the 7 may suffice; as if God had not made his choice of the day, but left us the prerogative, to make the choice: good Lord deliver us from such Expositors, and such Expositiones. I could have borne this grief with silence, as a long time I did if these Antisabbatharians, or enemies to God's Sabbaths, would have taken knowledge of these their errors, in love and the spirit of meekness, either in private before I printed my former book, or in public by my former book; but now they maintain thē with an high hand, utterly cōdēning me, & protesting against me both in public and in private, wherefore I do the world to know, how I abhor these their ungodly proceedings in abusing God's people, and in corruption the sacred Scriptures.

3. If by the 7th day, may be understood, one of 7 indifferently, thē might the Jews have kept any one day in the week without difference for their Sabbath, as Sunday, Monday, or some other, but this is absurd to imagine: yea a greater absurdity; for since all mē confess, that the Jews, with their Prophets & Christ himself, understood by the words Sabbath day, one certain day of the week, as Saturday, if now we will expound the same words in the 4th come. of a day uncertain, then shall the words of scripture change their sense as the times chāg: the same words for 2000. years shall signify one thing, and ever after that, another thing: oh manstrouse absurdity!

4. If by the 7th day, may be understood someone day of the 7 without difference, then may we Christians, keep the Saturday Sabbath again with the Jews: for this is one day of the 7: but this they hold a fowl error, to keep the Jews Sabbath; & therefore by the 7th day, we must not understand one day of the 7 indifferently.

5. If by the 7th day in the 4th come. be understood, one day of 7, then is there no ceremony in the 4th come. for, if one of 7 be the true exposition of the 4th come. it was ever the true sense of it; & if one of 7 indifferently, both was & now is, the true exposition of the Com. where I pray is the ceremony? where is the time which we say was abolished by Christ? since the sense of the come. is every way the same now which it was: But our new Sabbatharians all say, there is a ceremony in the time: Therefore is not one of 7, the true sense & exposition of the 7th day, in the 4th come.

6. The 4th come. it enjoineth one day of 7, & but one one day of 7, to wit, the last of the 7: now since they oppose this text Colos. 2.16. which abolisheth Sabbaths, to the 4th come. against that Sabbath there; hereby they abolish that one day of 7 in the 4th come. how absurd then is it, for them to talk of one day of 7, as if still one day of 7 were moral by the 4th come. when themselves have abolished that one day of 7 there commanded, by Colos. 2.16. they will abolish a thing, and yet maintain it still?

7. That by these words in the come. the 7th day, must be understood the 7th day, as of a known certain day, and not one of 7, indifferently and indefinitely, I have proved it in my Exposition of the 4th cō. upon these words But the 7th day is the Sabbath &c. whither I refer my Reader: and thus much for this evasion, that by the 7th day, they say may be understood, one of seven, or someone day of the 7.

IIII.

Some seeing how hardly they are beset in the former distinctiones, have found out another & new evasion, and they seeing that these words of the cō. bear so strongly against them, to wit, But the 7th day is the Sabbath, they therefore have thought it fit, to reject these words altogether, and so all the after parts of 4th come. also; & therefore they answer thus, that there is no more of the 4th come. moral, but these words at the beginning of it, Remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it: and as for all the residue of the come. that they reject altogether, as appurtenances to the come. and as application.

I must confess., I never heard any man so impudent, save one M. Greenwood a silenced Minister, one of my 10 professed adversaries, and one man more whose name I spare; neither would I have judged it worth the confutation, but that I fear the rest of my adversaries may be take them to this refuge, when they be hardly put too it. When I look upon this man's answer, together with those forementioned, me thinks they have dealt very honourably, with God's Law: for they have not dared to deny any parte of it in right down terms, but this man, (as they say) without fear or wit, lays violent hands on God's Law, & rendeth or teareth away, the greater parte thereof at once: me think he that makes conscience of a Surplice • , should make some conscience, of doing violence to a Moral Law, and of denying such a portion of Sacred Scripture: I hear indeed of much conscience used in other matters, I see too little used in disputation, woe is me that it is so: anything shall be said, or done, yea God's Laws shall be mancled & quartered, rather then God shall have his Sabbaths again. But first, it is absurd for any man to put asunder what God hath joined together: could anything be more nearly joined to other, then the latter parte of the 4th Com. is to the former? and yet this man dares sunder them. Our Savior said, that the Law, in every jot • & tittle of it, should last forever Mat. 5.18. But M. Greenwood saith, not only that some jot or title of it is abolished, but also that many letters, yea words of it are abolished: the Law of the 4th Comm. had not one hundredth words in it, and be hath here rejected above Fowre score of them: is that a contrite spirit, that trembleth at God's word Isai. 66.2. which rejecteth his word?

2. The latter parte of the Comm. naming the Seauenth day, hath as good right to be Moral as the former parte naming the Sabbath day; for, like as the Lord's day, and Sunday, be two names, both notifying one & the same day, to wit, our present Sabbath day; so are Sabbath day, & Seauenth day, two other names, both not • fying the Saturday; and therefore the Holy Ghost useth them promiscuously, the one for the other: for that which in one place is named the Sabbath day, as in Exod. 20.11. in another is named the Seauenth day, as in Genes. 2.3, Exod. 23.12. Exod. 34.21. yea it is so in one and the same verse, Exo, 20.11. if therefore the Sabbath day, be moral, then must the 7th day be moral too.

3. As the other commandments, have two partes, an affirmative and a negative, so hath this 4th come. the affirmative, you have in these words, Remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it. The Negative, you have expressed also in these words, The 7th day is the Sabbath &c. in it thou shalt not do any work &c. Now this man by denying these words, he denieth a parte, yea the Negative parte of the 4th cō. and is it not absurd to embrace the affirmative parte of a commandment, and to reject the negative parte thereof? yet nothing is so fowl, but it may be said, to abolish God's Sabbaths. Where is rest commanded and servile labor forbid̄, if not in this latter parte of the come. take away then this latter parte of the Com. & you take away God's commandment, which forbiddeth all servile labors on the Sabbath day: now shall the duty of rest from labor be moral, & not that parte of the Com. which expressly enjoineth it? shall we have no Law now against working on the Sabbath day?

4. If these words, But the 7th day is the Sabbath, be not moral, but abolished, then this absurdity followeth, that we are not tied by the 4th come. to give God a Sabbath once a week, or one in 7 days, but it is enough if God hath a Sabbath once a month, once a year, one in 7 days, or one in 700 days: for in what parte of the commandment, will you find on what day in 700, you shall keep your first Sabbath, if you abolish those words, But the 7th day is the Sabbath &c. were it not for these words, might you not begin your first Sabbath, at the 700th day, as well as at the 7th day?

5. If no more of the 4th come. be moral, but these words, Remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it; then is the commandment. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all that thou hast to do, Exod. 20.9. a bolished also: now, I marvel what offense these words are unto any, that this command. must be rased out too? were these words typical or ceremonial at any time, that they must be also abolished? is it Judaism too to observe this commandment? yet further, take away the latter parte and words of the 4th come. and then 1. you abolish the cause & ground of the Sabbath institution, noted in these words, And rested the 7th day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exo, 20.11. Genes. 2.2.3. now it is very absurd to retain the Sabbath, and to reject the ground & cause of its Institution. 2. You abolish also that Matchless example, and perswasiue president & reason, which God gave us, taken from his own example, to move us to keep the Sabbath, Exod. 20.11. what, is God's example now become Jewish, and to tread in his steppes Iudaifme? may not Christians be followers of God as deer children, as well as Jews? 3. You blot out the memory of the Creatiō, in remembrance of which Miracle, the 7th day Sabbath was solemnized. Exod. 31.17.

6. I allege the Testimony of M. Perkins against him: for of all the other words in the cō. M. Perkins did judge these words to be moral, see his Commentary on the Galatians, Chap. 4. v. 9. pag. 286. Jt may be (saith he) the first words, Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it; and these words, In it thou shalt do no manner of work, are spoken of the Jews Sabbath: But the words, six days thou shalt labor &c. And, the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, are moral, and contain a perpetual truth. And again, see M. Perkins in his Cases of Conscience, pag. 106. D. upon these words for in six days &c. where he thus writeth, The second reason is taken from God's example: That which the Lord himself hath done in persō, the same must mā do: But the Lord himself rested the 7th day: Therefore man must do the same. This reason made by God to the creature, must stand in force, till he reverse it, which yet he hath not done. Thus M. Perkins doth expressly affirm it, that this reason annexed to the 4th commandment is still in force.

In a word, I might be infinite in alleging Authores this way: for what writer but holdeth these latter words of the Com. to be still in force? as appeareth in that in their Expositions on the 4th come. they understand by these words, the 7th day is the Sabbath, one day of 7 to be meant & to be moral: but M. Greenwod will be contrary to all Authores, rather then God shall have his Sabbaths again.

7. If only those first words of the commandment, Remember the Sabbath day, be moral; then is the 4th come. utterly abolished: for they allege these texts Exod. 31.15.16. & Col. 2.16. where is mention made expressly of the Sabbath day, for the abolishing of the Sabbath day in the 4th come. as a sign and shadow: wherefore, since by these texts, they abolish the Remembrance of the Sabbath day, mentioned in the beginning of the 4th commandment it must needs follow, that those words in the begininge of the come. Remember the Sabbath day, are abolished: and so, if no other words be moral in the 4th come. but those, then are none at all moral, but all abolished.

Now whereas some say, all but the first words of the come. are Application: it is more likely, that they are Explication: now they will not reject (J trust) the Explication of the commandment. 2. to say they are application, it doth imply, that the words Sabbath day in the beginning of the commandment are certain general words, which may be applied unto any day, and so the latter parte of the commandment should apply them to the 7th day: but their foundation is sandy, for they cannot show where at any time, these words in the 4th commandment Sabbath day, were taken generally, or for any other day then Saturday the 7th day. 3. Since that these words (Sabbath day) at the beginning of the commandment, & these (the 7th day is the Sabbath) towards the end of the commandment, are promiscuously used in Scripture, the one for the other, as hath been proved, it is absurd to suppose the one of these to be the Application of the other 4. Since that we are commanded to sanctify the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8. and, probibited to work on the 7th day Exod. 20.10. It is absurd to say, that this latter is an Application of the former: is it not rather an Addition, and that of one parte of the commandment to another? 5. If the after partes of the commandment be but Application and belong not to us; why then do all Divines out of these after partes of the commandment determine, that one day in 7 is moral?

And whereas some say that all the latter words of the come. are appurtenāces to the come. I reply, if they be but such appurrenāces as may safely be severed from the come. then 1. we have no need now as those Jews had, of God's insample & reason mentioned in the 4th commandment Exod. 20.11. to move us to sanctify the Sabbath day. 2. Then need we not give God a Sabbath once in 7 days, or once in 700 days &c. 3. Then do we abolish God's express prohibition, of doing servile works on the Sabbuth day Exod. 20.10. fourthly then why have Divines and Expositors, affirmed that, one day of 7 is moral, out of these words, the 7th day is the Sabbath? 5. that these words, (the 7th day is the Sabbath) are no appurtenances, but of higher nature, I have proved in my 5th argument in defense of the Lord's Sabbaths, where I proved, that these words are a parte of the 4th come. and so cannot be severed from the commandment as appurtenances may be.

To conclude, there is a Tradition among us, that these words (the 7th day is the Sabbath &c. in it, thou shalt do no work) is but Application, and Appurtenances. Of this I may say, as Christ said, ye have made the commandment of none effect by your tradition. God said, (in it, thou shalt not work) I say they, this is not to be regarded by Christians; for it is but Application and Appurrenance yet further whither rend all these distinctions and euasiones whereby men would deny God's 7th day Sabbath? and whats the reason, that to this end, God's Law must be thus rent and torn asunder? do not the Authores of these things behave themselves, like men weary of God's service, and as if it were a burden unto them, to have so many of God's ordinances in his Church? and therefore they diminish the number, as if the fewer of them the rather: it grieveth them that God's sacred Sabbath should be moral, lest they should be bound to sanctify it: were it not thus with them, they would not invent such euasiones against this ordinance as they do. But they have conceived a prejudice against it, and therefore down it must.

V.

An other evasion I meet withal, and it is this; let a man allege the 4th commandment for the sanctification of the Sabbath day; properly so called; and our answer shall be this; the Sabbath day, why do we not keep the Sabbath day? the word Sabbath, it signifieth a Rest, and do we not rest on the Lord's day? why? we have the Sabbath day already, we keep it every week; so long as we rest from our works every Lord's day.

Let me show you the absurdity of this sly evasion by the like: suppose we a commandment given for the sanctification of the Lord's day, in the New Testament, thus Remember the Lord's day, to sanctify it: but the first day of the week, is the Lord's day; in it thou shalt do no work &c. for on the Lord's day Christ rose from the dead, and therefore he blessed and sanctified the Lord's day. Suppose we also, one of our new Sabbatharians should allege unto me this commandment for the observation of the Lord's day, if I should answer him thus, the Lord's day, why do I not keep the Lord's day? the old Sabbath day on Saturday, it is the Lord's day: for the 4th commandment saith, the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord &c. And do I not then sanctify the Lord's day when I keep the old Sabbath day on Saturday? were not this a sly eusiaon? and yet such sly euasiones they use, as if because they can deceive themselves, & blind the poor people, by such sleites, they could deceive God himself too thereby: but, as in the supposed commandment for the Lord's day, it is manifest enough which day is the Lord's day, as namely not Saturday, but Sunday: for it is called the first day of the week, which is true of Sunday only; and it is called the day wherein Christ rose, which is true of Sunday only: so in the true commandment for the old Sabbath, it is plain enough to any, but deceivers, which day the Lord meant for his Sabbath, that is, not the Sunday or Lord's day, but the Saturday: for it is called in the commandment the 7th day, which agreeth to Saturday only; and it is said in the commandment to be the day wherein God rested at the Creation, which agreeth to Saturday only.

2. May they not by the like sophistry keep the Coronation day, a fast day, or Christmas day, when it falleth on a working day, and all by the 4th come. and instead of God's Sabbath? for the word Sabbath signifieth a Rest, now on eve • y of these days, we rest from work, and do we not then keep the Lord's Sabbath think you; when we keep the Coronation day? a fast day? or Christmas day? thus wise mē, yea & Religiouse mē play with God's come. as a fool would play with another man's nose, and yet let a man in love of God's truth, with all meekness and submission to them (for time was I so carried it towards them) tell them in most friendly manner, of these errors, and they are ready to fly in a man's face, & to fill the world with clamoures against him, as one not worthy to live any longer, as one morefit for the iayle then to enjoy common liberty. These are good encouragements, are they not, to provoke one to study, and to discover errors, and to set men in the right way? these and worse have been my reward hitherto.

I might be larger in confutation of this sleite, as by showing that these words (Sabbath day) are a proper name of a day, to wit, of Saturday, and therefore we must not rest in the bare signification of the word Sabbath, but look how the Spirit of God useth it, & to what day he doth apply it, namely unto Saturday: for as Lord's day, is a proper name for Sunday, so is Sabbath day, a proper name for Saturday; whence it plainly appeareth, that they dally and play with the word Sabbath, when they fly to its signification, neglecting its application, and the Holy Ghostes use of the word these with other things we might add, but enough hath been said for him that will understand: if further you desire to see of this point, I refer you to my Exposition of these words in the 4th commandment Sabbath day: & so much for this evasion.

VI.

An other evasion is this: let a man allege God's Com. for the 7th day Sabbath, and one answer shall be this; The Sabbath day, or the Lord's day, all is one; for it is bur time you stand on, and time is but a circumstance, and why should you be so strict for a circumstance? as if God regarded a time so much &c.

Because you say but a time, and but a circumstance, by way of sleiting, you must know that this time, this circumstance, it is an ordinance of God's, yea one of the most ancient ordinances of God in the Church; it is a time indeed, but it is a Sacred and Holy time: for God himself pleased to Hallow it, and make it an Holy day, at the Creation So God blessed the 7 day, and sanstified it, Gen. 2.3. Were it not blasphemy to but at God's ordinances, why might not some thus but at our Sacraments, as well as these do at God's Sabbaths? why may they not as well say the Sacraments, what need you be so strict for them, they are but Signs of things &c? the water, it is but well water; the bread, it is but Bakers bread &c? as you say, the Sabbath, why it is but a time, and but a circumstance?

2. We must know that some circumstances be but indifferent, & others be necessary: for example, the circumstance of time, when it is not commanded & limited, then it is an indifferent circumstance, & then a man may but at it by way of diminution, thus the Sacraments are to be used, but whither in the fore noon or in the after noon, whither on the Lord's day, or on another day, is a thing indifferent, because not Commanded. On the other side, the passover was not only commanded to be e • ten, but also the time when, namely on the 14th day oft he month, now here this time, to do it on the 14th day, was a necessary circumstance, not to be butted at and sleited, but to be stood for, as for an ordinance of God's, the omission whereof had been a sin: so it is in this question of the Sabbath, not only thes duties of rest, and religious exercises, are commanded, but also the time & day is as well commanded, Rememember the Sabbath day &c: But the 7th day is the Sabbath, in it thou shalt not work &c: here the circumstance of time is not left to man's liberty as an indifferent thing, but is commanded; & so is a necessary thing, because commanded, therefore we must stand for it, & be strict about it: The time and day commanded in the 4th Comm. is like the time and day of payment specified in a Bond; now every man accounteth the day in a Bond or Bill a necessary circumstance, & not to be sleited.

I might add hereunto another evasion of like moment, why; say some, the time it is but an accident &c. Well this time was a parte of God's worship, as Divines confess, saying, the old Sabbath day, it was whilst it stood, not only the time of God's worship, but also a parte of God's worship: I; it is a circumstance of like dignity with that circumstance of place, to wit, the Temple whiles it stood: and therefore no more to be sleited then may a parte of God's worship; or then might the Temple whilst it stood. Yea, it is no accident; for it is a parte, & a parte of the 4th Com. for the time is as well c • mmanded, as those other duties of rest, and Holy exercises: But suppose it were an accident, & let it be a circumstance, & what else you will, whither I pray tend all these extenuations, and diminutiones? since the time and day, is no less commanded; then those other duties of rest, and Holy exercises, what mean they, but this? namely that because it is a thing of the lest moment, therefore they care not for it, therefore they sleit it & neglect it? as if they would yield obedience to God's greater Commandments, but none to his lesser; to the more weighty matters, but none to the less weighty matters: is not this to be partial in God's Law? is this to have respect unto all God's Commandments? me think, a matter of the least moment that can be d • u • sed, such as was the eating of an apple at the Creation, when it comes attended with the broad Seal of God's Command. annexed to it, it should be honourably, & reverently entertained; how much more, this most ancient & Sacred ordinance of God's Sabbath, which is an instrument of so great good & profit to the Church of God, which is a parte of God's worship, & which bringech so much glory to God: beware of sleiting this Sacred time; for it is an ordinance, and a most ancient ordinance of God's, yea & it is a parte of God's worship.

To conclude, forasmuch as God did ever put as much difference, betwixt his Sabbath day, & all other days in the week; as between hir that is a man's wife, & all other women: a man therefore under colorable pretences, may as well leave his wife, & take some other woman, as leave God's 7th day Sabbath, and take another day: as well may a man dally with the 7th come. & live in adultery, as with the 4th come. and live in Sabbath-breaking: he that lies with another man's wife, may as well say he keeps the law of wedloke, as he that keeps the Lord's day, say he keeps the 4th come. & so much for this evasion.

VII.

An other evasion: let a man allege the 4th come. for the sanctification of the Sabbath day, and this shall be one of your answers; we, are we Christians bound to the Jews Sabbath day? no, no, the commandment for the Sabbath day was delivered to the Jews; But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it (thou) shalt do no manner of work: by (thou) here is meant the Jew, thou Jew shalt do no work in it &c.

If this be a good answer to me against God's Sabbath, then can it not be bad, If I pay them in their own coin. when these men press the sanctification of the Lord's day, and that from the 4th come. I answer them as they me; we, what are we Christians bound by the 4th come, to the keeping of the Lord's day? no, no, the 4th commandment was given to the Jew: (thou) that is thou Jew &c.

2. It is true indeed, the Sabbath day was commanded to the Jew, upon Mount Sinai, neither were any English men there that J read of; but if therefore we English men may reject God's Sabbath, because the Sabbath was not commanded unto English men, but unto Jews, then by the same right may we reject not only the Sabbath of the Jews, but also all the 10 commandments of the Jews, even the whole moral Law; for it was all the Jews in this sense, all of it being commanded unto the Jews. Yea we may go further, for upon the same reason, we may reject that divine Sermon of our Savior Christ, which he preached on the Mounte Mat. 5.1. &c. and also we may reject the whole Epistle to the Hebrews, and the Epistle of S. James; for to whom was Christ's Sermon preached, but unto Jews? and unto whom were these two Epistles wrote, but unto Jews? there were no English men in those quarters that ever I read on.

3. The Passover, it was first commanded unto the Jew, thou Jew &c. Exod. 12. but for all that, the Gentiles (such of them as turned unto God) observed it also, see Exod. 12.48. Yea albeit there was something in the Passover, which was peculiar unto the Jew, and belonged not unto the Gentile at all, as, the celebration of it as a token that God spared the first borne of the Israelites; nevertheless they observed it; there can be therefore no absurdity in it, for us to keep the Sabbath, though it had been given to the Jew only. 2. admit the Sabbath as delivered on Mount Sinai, had been given to the Jew only, yet forasmuch as the Sabbath is a branch of the moral Law, hence it followeth, that it was from the Creation, and so unto all people, Jew and Gentile; for there was then no difference of Jew and Gentile. And so much for this evasion.

VIII.

An other evasion I meet with which is this, that the time indeed commanded in the 4th come, quod ad genus attinet, is moral & perpetual: that is, that some time or day in general, be allotted for God's worship, is by the 4th come. moral; but not that special day which the Jews kept: thus Chemnitz in his Loc. Theolog. de quarto praecepto: pag. 56. with whom accordeth others of greatest note also.

Against this distinction J conceive these things. 1. that by the same distinction, we may still retain all those Ceremonial and anniversary Sabbaths in Levite. 23. holding them all moral & in force still quoad genus, as touching some time to be annually allotted for God's worship, but abolished as touching those special days: quod ad Speciem attinet: and so there shall be no more morallity in the 4th come. then there is in those Ceremonial commandments, which is just none at all: or else the 4th come. shall be every white as much a Ceremonial commandment, as any of those commandments for those yearly Sabbaths in Levite. 23. Yea, what morallity shall there be in God's Sabbath, more then is still in the Tabernacle or Temple? for hence Divines collect that some place must be assigned now, for Church assemblies, and public worship; and they collect no more from God's Sabbath in the 4th come. as namely, that some time be allotted now, for God's worship.

2. Since that the authors of this distinction, do grant, that some day in general is by the 4th come. moral and perpetual, I will prove, that that day must be Saturday the 7th day: my reason is, because the other Six days are commanded in the 4th come. for the days of work and labor: Six days thou shalt labor and do all thou hast to do Exod. 20. now this commandment of Six days labor, is moral and perpetual, never yet altered: and so saith M. Perkins in his commentary on the 4th Chap. to the Galatianes v. 9, pag. 286. But the words (saith he) Six days thou shalt labor &c: &, the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord &c, are moral, & contain a perpetual truth. and in his Cases of conscience pag. 106. D. thus; This reason made by God to the creature, must stand in force till he reverse it, which yet he hath not. And further, the Six days mentioned in the 4th come. are Sunday, Monday, Tewsday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday, namely, those Six days wherein God himself wrought at the Creation Genes. 1.5.8.13. &c. Exod. 20.11. For Saturday never came into the number of the Six days; neither by the commandment did the Jews observe, or rekone any other days for those Six, but these I have mentioned, as I have proved in my exposition on these words of the 4th come. wherefore, if one day of the 7 be moral by the 4th come. and then the former 6 of those 7 days, be ordained for work by the 4th come. then it must follow, that that one day which is moral by the 4th come. is Saturday, the 7th day, and the last of the number: because of all the 7 days, none is left vacant for a Sabbath, but Saturday the 7th day; all the other days being appointed by the 4th come. for work. Hereby it appeareth, that this distinction is frivolous, saying, that someone day is moral by the 4th come. in general, but not that particular day which God commanded, & the Jews constantly kept,

3. That this distinction is absurd, I prove it, because it overturneth, one of God's ten moralls, to wit, the 4th come. for as for a time or day in general, this is commanded in the 2th come. where God's worship is enjoined: for if God must be worshiped, then of necessity a time or a day in general one or other, must be allotted therefore: so then, deny that special time to wit, Saturday the 7th day, and you abolish the 4th come. utterly; and grant no more moral in the 4th come. but a time in general, and you confound the 2th come. with the 4th come. & make th • 4th come. a needless repetition.

4. If someone day in general, be moral by the 4th come. and not determined which day, then the Church may choose Saturday the Jewish Sabbath day again: But they hold it Judaism, to keep Saturday the Jews Sabbath day; Therefore is not someone day in general vndeterminedly, moral & enjoined by the 4th come. or, the Church may appoint the day of Christ's Nativity Christmas day, or the days of Christ's passion, our Fridays, for Sabbath days by the 4th come. since the 4th come. is holden not to determine the special day and time.

5. If someone day, or some time in general, be all that is moral in the 4th come. then are we not tied to give God a Sabbath weekly; it may suffice if we give God a day once a month, one in a year, or one in 7000 days: for thus there shall be a day, and some time in general, allotted for God's worship; and this is another absurdity, whereof this distinction is guilty.

6. If one day or some time in geneaall, be all that is moral in the 4th commandment, so as the special day & time must be allotted and appointed by the Authority of the Church; then this absurdity followeth, that this sacred ordinance of God's Sabbath, shall be partly Divine & partly human, a mingle mangle: for God commands (a) time & man commands (the) time. Yea, so one ordinance of God, to wit, his Sabbath, it shall stand by virtue of two several commandments, as if one were not enough: for it shall stand by the 4th come. as it is (a) time, and so commanded of God; & by the 5th come. as it is (the) time, and so commanded by the Magistrate.

7. That the absurdity of this distinct on may yet further appear, let it be obser • ed, the old Sabbath day, which was expressly commanded in the 4th come. and which the Jews kept, to wit, Saturday, they say that this special time and day was abrogated as appeareth by Exod. 31.13. and by Colos. 2.16. and other like texts; now they oppose these texts which speak of Sabbath days not only unto those anniversary Sabbath days in Levite. 23. but also to that weekly Sabbath day in the 4th come. Exo. 20. and hereby they hold the 7th day Sabbath abolished: now I would fain know of them, if the word Sabbath in Colos. 2.16, be not of as large a sense, as the word Sabbath in the 4th come. if there be no difference, as none they can show, then if followeth, that if the Sabbath day in the 4th come. be abolished by this text Colos. 2.16. which speaks of Sabbath days, then are all Sabbath days, and times in the 4th commandment abolished, & that both specially and generally: for every aniuersary Sabbath abolished by this text, is abolished both generally and specially: so then, since they apply this text, Colos. 2.16. against the Sabbath mentioned in the 4th come. it is a frivolous tenet, to say the time in the 4th come. is moral quod ad genus attinet, and to say that by the 4th cō. some day or time in general only is moral: this cannot be, unless it be vainly supposed, that the name Sabbath day in the 4th come. hath a genus, but the same name in Colos. 2.16. hath none.

8. If only the time commanded in the 4th come. quod ad genus attinet, be moral and perpetual, but not quod ad Speciem attinet, then this absurdity followeth, that we shall have a genus without a Species.

9. If the time in the 4th come. be moral quod ad genus attinet, then must also the Special Sabbaths, contained in the genus, be also moral: for the genus cannot be without its Species; & the proper Species to the genus of the 4th come. are the weekly 7th day or Saturday Sabbaths: and thus, this distinction will prove a good argument, for the morallity of the old Sabbath day, and so much for this distinction.

IX.

An other evasion we meet withal, and it is this, let a man allege the 4th come. for the Lord's Sabbath, and one answer shall be to this effect, That the Law belongeth unto us Christians, but as it is the law of nature; or so far forth as it agreeth with the Law of Nationes, and light of Nature &c. now this is an answer of great esteem; for they foresee it, that the Gentiles have not by the light of nature, found out and observed the Saturday Sabbath, of all other things in the moral Law.

For confutation of this, if no more could be said against it, but that the authors thereof are partial in God's Law. Mal. 2.9. and have not an indifferent respect unto all God's commandments, Psa. 119.6. this were enough: for since we embrace God's Law, it is shameful to profess it by haules and pieces: & thus these do, who embracing all other things commanded in the moral Law, do nevertheless by this distinction, reject that parte thereof, which commandeth God's Sabbath.

2. If they will receive no more of the Decalogue, then agreeth to the Law of nature, then these absurdities will follow. 1. That they must reject the doctrine of the Trinity in unity: for this is not found in the Law of nature or Nationes. 2. They must reject the 10th come. for S. Paul could not find lust to be a sin, by the Laws and light of nature, but by the Law of God, I had not (saith he) known lust, except the Law had said thou shalt not lust, Rom. 7.7, & they must renownce the doctrine of original sin: for the Gentiles could not find it out by their light: so then. they may as well reject the first and the 10th commandments as reject the Sabbath of the Lord.

3. This distinction is blaphemouse: for it quite razeth out one of the 10 moral Laws, to wit, the 4th come. for the Law of nature teacheth no more, but that some time be allotted for God's service, not respecting that 7th day which God hallowed at the Creation, Genes. 2.3. and expressly commanded, Exod. 20.8. now sometime is alloted for God's worship, on fridaies, and wednesdaies, & on Lecture days; and all this may be, and is, without the 4th come. and thus the 4th commandment is rased out.

Yea further, some time or other for God's worship, is necessarily implied in the second Com. where God's worship is enjoined: for if God must have a worship, of necessity he must have some time alloted for it: if therefore, they will have no more of the moral Law, then agreeth to the Law of nature, they must most wickedly, blott out God's 4th come. as a superfluouse and needless Law: for all that the Law of nature calleth for, it is found in the 2th come. and that which is in the 4th come, it is besides, or more then the Law of nature requireth: thus by flying ro the Law of nature, they have rejected the Law of God.

4. If the Law of God must be ruled by the Law of nature, so as rather the Law of nature must teach us, what is moral, and appertaineth to our obedience, then the Law of God; then this blasphemy followeth, that the Law of nature is a more perfect rule for Christians to walk by, then the Law of God: and then also these absurdities follow. 1. That it was needless for God at the first to commit his Law unto writing, Exod. 20.1. for the Jews had the light of nature to direct them; & why would God give them an imperfect rule, when they had already that which was more perfect? 2. If the Law of nature can direct us Christians, and better too then the Law of God, then what need have we now of the Law at all? 3. If the Law of God be not sufficient for our direction, without the Law of nature to correct it, why are we sent by all Divines, unto the Law of God for direction of our lives? they should add this limitation, so saith the Lord, Ex. 20. • . &c. according to the Law of nature. 4. If the Law of nature be the supreme for direct on, let us no longer study divinity out of the Law of God, but rather out of the writings of the Heathen.

Whither it be fiter for us to subject God's Law, unto the Law of nature for trial, or bring the Law of nature to be tried by the law of God, I leave it to the consideration of all mē: to cōoclud whither the Law of God, given to his people the Jews, is to be preferred above the Laws of nations, let Moses determine it, What nation (saith he) is so great that hath ordinances & Laws so righteousse, as all this law, which I set before you this day, Deut. 4.8. Did not Moses here prefer the law of God, above the laws & light of nature? Again, He showeth his word unto Jacob, his Statutes & his Judgments unto Israel: he hath not dealt sowith every Nation, neighther have they known his Judgments, Psal. 147.19.20. And shall this law then given to Israel, be snibbed, pared, & cheked, by the Laws of Nationes, & light of nature? the Prophet saith, the Nations have not known God's Judgments, that is, his Laws: & shall they be our guides and instructors to teach us what is moral? shall blind men judge of cullers for us? shall we to the ignorant to get knowledge? why may we not fly to the Pope, to determine for us whither the 2d come. be moral or not, since he is a Christian, as well as fly to the Nationes; to tell us whither the 4th commandment be moral or not, since they be heathen,

5. It is the judgment of Divines, that the reason of the writing of the law on Mount Sinai, was because this Law being a Law from the Creation, & the law of nature, began then to be obliterated and blotted out of men's minds, and therefore God wrote it now in Tables of stone, which before was written in the Table of men's hearts: well, and is it so that the light of nature waxed dime, as the world waxed old, to amend which God it mercy wrote his law in the Tables of stone, for a perpetual help of memory, & preservation from corruption, & will we now forsake this law, and betake us to the dime light of nature for direction? were the people of God before the giving of the Law, in danger to forget it and corrupt it, and shall we think the Gentiles & Heathen that know not God, have retained all the Moral Law perfectly, without forgetting anything therein? do we think better of the Heathen Gentiles, who have lived since the giving of the Law, then of the people of God, who lived before the Law? if the light of nature in the people of God, before the Law, needed a better light, to wit, the Law of God, to direct their Law and light of nature; can the blind light in Heathen people since the Law, give a light unto the Law? if it cannot, why then will we rather learn what is moral by the light of nature and laws of nations, then by the light of lights, the Law of God?

Should we urge the practice of anything that is vn-natural, or which nature abhorreth, then there might be some more • uller for this distinction, but since we urge nothing vn-natural, nor anything impossible, nor anything harmful to a Church or State & commō wealth, in this case what ground should there be to draw us to the Laws & light of nature? suer I am, though nature be ignorant of the Lord's Sabbath, yet enemy unto it, it cannot be: for let nature be informed what manner a thing God's Sabbath is, and it will embrace it: for nature abhorreth to profane sacred things, of which kind the Sabbath is: and nature approveth of a day, and this day as well as any other day, for God's worship, and for man's refreshment in a rest from labors: why then should we reject God's Sabbath, because blind nature is ignorant of it? and not rather embrace, it because if nature be but taught it, it cannot oppose it, it will embrace it?

I find it, that this distinction is merely invented for the very nonce to thwarte, rase down, and root out God's ancient Sabbaths: for I find nothing else prescribed in the moral Law, which they do reject by this dinstinction, but only God's Sabbaths: now as well might they reject the drinking of wine in Lord's Supper, as the Sabbath day in the 4th come. for thers the same reason; seeing that the drinking of wine, is not natural to English men, no more then the Sabbath is to Heathen people: for wine is not the natural fruit and liquor of our Country, but Beer: like as they say, the 4th come. belongeth unto us but as it is the Law of nature, but not as it was given to the Jews; for so it was Jewish; so might they say, the institution of the Lord's Supper belongeth unto us English men, but as it is a law in our nature, and not as it was given to the Jews Christ's Disciples; to drink Beer is natural to us, but to drink wine is Jewish; for the Jews used wine at their meals, as we use Beer.

6. The Apostle Paul telleth us of a Law written, and of a Law of nature; the one written in Tables of stone, the other in the Tables of the heart; the one given the Jews, the other to the Gentiles: As many as have sinned without the Law, shall perish without the Law; & as many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law, Rom. 2.12.14. I would fain know, where the difference lieth between these two Laws, the Law of nature, & the written Law of God, if we will embrace no more of God's written Law, then the Gentiles find written in their hearts: yea, & what then are we the better, for having God's written Law among us? 2. Inasmuch as the Apostle saith, that as many as have sinned in the Law, they must be judged by the Law, hence it followeth, that all we Christians who embrace the written Law, we must stand or fall to this written Law, and must be judged by it another day: & can we then with safety reject this written Law, and take the unwritten Law for the rule of our Liues? no surely, unless we could think we should live by one Law, & be judged by another.

7. If so much of the Law of God be Moral, as is found among the Gentiles, then is the Ceremonial Law of Sacrifices, a Moral Law: for the Gentiles have had their Sacrifices: thus we read, that Jupiter's Priests, brought Bules with garlands unto the gates, & would have Sacrificed unto Paul and Barnabas Act. 14.13. Wherefore the light of nature in the Gentiles, is no sufficient rule to distinguish Morales from Ceremoniales.

8. This distinction is Antichristian: for it is against Christ, and his Apost es: for they ever sent the Churches unto the writ • n Law, never to the unwritten Law: Mat. 1.18.19. Rom. 3.31. I am. 2.8.10, Paul saith, he believed all things which were written in the Law &c Act. 24.14: And, whatsoever things are written a fore time, are written for our learning Rom. 15.4. and, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law, to do them Gal. 3.10: and, the whole Scripture is by inspiration, to teach &c. 2. Tim. 3.26. in all which scriptures, we are sent unto the written Laws, the Laws given to the Jews, & not v • to the unwritten Laws that were given to the Gentiles: the Holy Ghost would that we should borrow light from the written Laws given to the people of God, but the Authors of this distinction, will send us to the unwritten Laws, which are found among Heathen people, and Infideles, to borrow lig • t from them: It seems then, that we shall borrow light from darkness: Ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord, Eph. 5.8.

9. If no more of the Law shall bind us, then so much as is found out by the light of nature, then God's word shall not bind properli • , by & of it self; but that it must borrow strength elsewhere, as from the Law & light of nature, or else it shall not bind, nor be a Law: this is to detract from the Dignity & Authority of God's word: for a Minister must not now come with Thus saith the Lord, but he must strengthen it with this, & so saith the Law of nature: he must not say only, Thou shalt not steal, not commit adultery: for thus no man is bound, until he add this, And this the Law of nature.

10. If so many of the precepts of the Law only shall be in force with us, as are allowed of by the Law of nature, then it shall follow, that so many & such qualified men among us, shall stand bound to the first Commandment only, as by the Law & light of nature, did acknowledge the true God: and they are for number a few, 3 or 4 in a Country, Citty, or Kingdom: and for quality only the most learned and deepest scholars: for such only did acknowledge the true God, among the Heathen. The reason hereof is, that if we must fetch direction from the Heathen to know which precepts we are bound unto, then by like reason must we fetch light from them also, to know how many persons, & what qualified men, are bound to those precepts.

11. Whereas they say, that the 4th Com. belongeth unto us no otherwi • e then as it is the Law of nature, hereby they grant, that some time in general is prescribed as Moral in the 4th Com. for, they all say, the Law and light of nature, teacheth, that some time in the general is to be allotted for the worship of God: And hereby they deny, that there is anything else commanded in the 4th Com. as Moral, save only some time in general: now the absurdity of this opinion, that only some time in general, is all which is Moral in the 4th Comm. I have by sundry other arguments, confuted, in their 8th evasion, the Section last before this, whither I refer my reader, for a further confutation of this distinction, if further he desireth to see it confuted. And so much of this Atheistical, Antichristian, blasphemous, and most absurd distinction, wherein I have taken the more pains, because I find it stood upon even by all, as a common and sound answer.

X.

The 10th evasion (not worth the naming, but that the Patrones of it put confidence in it) is that the Sunday or Lord's day may be the 7th day, as well as the Saturday: for if you begin at Sunday for the First day of our number then Saturday following will be the 7th day; but contrariwise, if you begin at Saturday for the First day, then Sunday before it will be the 7th day: like as if you lay down 7 counters in order, one after another in a right line, begin at the first counter to wards the left hand, and then the last counter next the right hand will be the 7th; but begin at the first counter towards the right hand, & the last counter next the left hand will be the 7th.

I may well call this account a counter-play, or a counterfeit play: they see the 4th Comm. so express for the 7th day, as they wring their wits hither & thither, to make the Lord's day the 7th day, but all in vain: for Saturday only is the 7th day. The very mention of this evasion is enough to confute it: for whoever rekoned backwards before? to rekone thus, Sunday the first, Monday the second, Tewsday the third &c, is allowable, and all men so rekone; but to begin at the last day, saying Saturday the first, Friday the second, Thursday the third &c, this foppish device was never heard on before: this is worse then Carter like, to set the Carte bef • re the horse, to account a day for the first, before it is or hath a being: why may we not read words in the Scripture backward, as well as re • one backwards? I dare say it, such men would chide their children, if they should bear them rekone the days of the week thus backwards, but any childish toye, is answer good enough to defeat God of his Sabbaths.

The Law was, that the passover should be eaten on the 14th day of the month, but by this new account, they might (counting the 14th day, to be first day) have eaten it one the first day of the month. To conclude, not only our Church, but also the four Evangelists, call the Lord's day the first day of the week, and consequently Saturday after the 7th day: But these counterplayers, think they may deal with the days of the week, as they do with their counters, begin where they list: and so what God & our Church accounts for the 7th, that these men count the first; & again, what they count the first, these count the 7th: enough of this device, M. Yates.

XI.

to conclude, whereas they distinguish in the 4th come. between the duties of rest & holy exercises, & the time wherein they were to be done, saying, the duties are Moral, but the time is a ceremony & abolished: these absurdities this distinction is guilty of 1. that if the time, to wit, that of the 7th day be abolished, then whensoever we perform the duty of rest and holy exercises, we may be said to keep the Sabbath day, and yield obedience to the 4th Com. as on Wednesdays, and Fridays, & Lecture days, & common Holy days: for on these days we rest, & do religious actions.

2. Not only this, but all the forementioned distinctions are guilty of these absurdities, 1. that they are horrible partial, in that they can find distinctions to preserve the Moral Law against Libertines, & here will invent distinctiones to overturn God's Sabbath, which is a parte of that Law. Yea, they can defend the common Holy days of the Saints, used in our Church, from being Popish, as some would have them, & yet will not defend that Holy day of the Holy one of Israel, from being a ceremony & Jewish, but rather undermine it by distinctions. 2. They are partial in God's Law, laming & maiming it of its Integrity & perfection. 3. They make God's 4th Comm. a monstre, half Moral, half Ceremonial. 4. They set open a gate to Anabaptistry, that so God's Church should have no Sabbaths. 5. They reject that which was, & again may be, an help to the worship of God. 6. They make an Holy prayer of our Church, to be a babbling with God. 7. They condemn those most ancient the Primitive Churches, who lived next the Apostles, of erroniouse practice. 8. They show no love to God's Law for it self, & to his ordinances: for if they did they would embrace as much of it, & as many of them, as possible they could; but this they do not: for they reject what they are not compelled to reject: God send his Laws & ordinances better friends I pray God. These with other absurdities formely mentioned, are these distinctions guilty of: Thus much for confutation of their vain distinctions. And here ends the defense of the Lord's Sabbath.

I.

On the contrary parte, they reason against the Antiquity of the Sabbath, out of Exod. 16.23. where it is thus written. To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Hence they gather, that the Israelites were ignorant of the Sabbath until this time, and consequently that the Sabbath was not from the Creation: for if it had, Moses should not have needed to tell them, that it was tomorrow &c.

Herevnto I answer: the Lord teld his people from Mount Sinai, that the 7th day was the Sabbath Exod. 20.10. Again after that, he teld them in Levite. 23.3. that the 7th day was the Sabbath: now will it hence follow, that because God teld the Israelites in Levite. 23.3. that the 7th day was the Sabbath; therefore the Israelites were ignorant of the Sabbath before? Again, in their own text Exod. 16.25. Moses said, eat that today, for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord &c. will it hence follow, that because Moses teld the Jsraelites, that that day present was the Lord's Sabbath, therefore they knew not so much before? the contrary is plain but two verses before: For in Exod. 16.23. Moses had teld them over night, or the day before, that on the morrow should be the Sabbath day.

The text therefore is not to be understood, as if Moses had informed them of the Sabbath day, whereof they were before ignorānt; but that he informed thē what they should do with their Manna on the Sabbath day, whereof they were ignorant before: for this see the context, in v. 19. Moses had said, that no mā should leave of their Manna till the morning: now since on the 6th day, they had gathered enough for that day and for the next day v. 22. the Rulers could not tell what to do with this overplus: for Moses had said, they should keep none until the next day therefore the rulers came unto Moses for counsel in this matter v. 22 hereupon Moses informeth thē what they should do with their overplus of Ma • n • on the Sabbath day v. 23. saying, tomorrow it being the Sabbath day, let the overplus be laid up until then, or until the morning v. 23. so whereas in v. 19. Moses had said, they should not lay up any Manna till the morning, he doth here expound himself in v. 23. as if he had said, that precept was but for the 6 days only, not for the Sabbath day: for this is excepted, they might lay up Manna until the Sabbath day morning, though not unto other mornings. Thus you see this text clered, and nothing for their purpose.

II.

Again they reason against the Antiquity of the Sabbath from Exod. 31.13. where the Sabbath was made a sign betwixt God and the Israelites: whence they thus reason, that if the Sabbath had been from the Creation, it had been no more a sign unto the Israelites then unto the Gentiles &c.

I answer, if the Sabbath had been a sign from the Creation, as it was a Sabbath from the Creation, as this argument falsely supposeth, the argument had had more culler: it cannot be proved, that the Sabbath was made a sign from its first institution, no more then the Rock was a sign from its first Creation, 1. Cor. 10.4. The Sabbath became a sign but after the giving of the Law, as we see Exod. 31.13. The sign was but aduentitiouse, & added to the Sabbath after its institution: wherefore, the Sabbath if it had been a sign from the Creation, then it should have been a sign as well unto Gentiles as unto Jews: but it being made a sign among the Jews only, it might be a sign unto Jews and none unto Gentiles: since therefore the Sabbath was not a sign originally, as it was when it made a difference betwixt Jews and Gentiles, this argument is of no force.

III.

Again they reason thus: If the Sabbath had been from the Creation, and so unto all people, the Lord would have reproved the Gentiles, for profaning of his Sabbaths, as well as the Jews: But God nowhere reproved the Gentiles, but only the Jews &c.

I answer, forasmuch as the Law written in the heart began to be obliterated before the giving of the Law, therefore the Gentiles might be ignorant of God's Sabbaths, & so God in mercy might spare them, The time of this ignorance God regarded not, saith Paul Act. 17.30. The Jews having a clearer light then the Gentiles, they were the more obnoxious, and these the less. 2. whereas they say, that God nowhere reproved the Gentiles for Sabbath breaking: how know they this? since all things done among the Jews, were not written, much less the things done among the Gentiles. 3. by the like absurd reasoning, we may prove, that other of the moralls were not from the Creation: because God never reproved the Gentiles, for the breach of them neither. So much for this argument.

IIII.

Lastly they argue from Deut. 5.2.3. where Moses saith, The Lord made not this Covenant with our fathers, but with us, who are alive this day &c. Here Moses speaking of the Covenant of the Moral Law, saith, it was not made with their forefathers, and so the Sabbath which was a part of this covenant, was not from the Creation.

I answer 1. if these words be taken properly, then they will make as much against the antiquity of the wholl Moral Law, as against God's Holy Sabbath: now it is manifest, that the Moral Law was more ancient, then the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai: for we read of diverse parts thereof, in the book of Genesis. 2. whereas Moses said, the Lord made this Covenant with them alive only in Horeb v. 2. it is manifest, that it was not only made in Horeb, but before: for we read of one branch of this covenant made at least a month before, in the wilderness of Sin, & that was for the keeping of God's holy, Sabbath, as it is there called Exod. 16.23.28. for these causes, another sense of the text must be given: thus therefore it may be understood, that the Lord made not that covenant with their fathers, that is, not with them so expressly and apparently, with such terror and such majesty, as with those alive at the giving of the Law: like texts, requiring like expositions, see Eph. 6.7. Psal. 51.16. Ierem. 31.34. Thus we see, this text maketh nothing against the Sabbaths antiquity, & these are the chief reasons, alleged by Gomarus against the antiquity of the Sabbath, in his book de origin Sabbathi, and how weakly you have seen.

Thus you have heard of the reasons against the Antiquity of the Sabbath, and now we come unto the reasons for the Antiquity thereof: touching which let this be noted, that I do not determine whither the Sabbath was instituted in Paradise before man's fall, or instantly & immediately after man's fall: and so I proceed.

I.

My first reason is drawn out of these words: So God blessed the 7th day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work, which God created and made Genes. 2.3. after that God had created the world in 6 days, on the 7th day, and so ever after he rested from that work: in memory whereof God blessed the 7th day & sanctified it, that is, God consecrated the 7th day; & by consecrating it, he instituted the 7th day above all the days in the week for an holy day: for to sanctify & consecrate a day, to hallow a day, & to make a day to be an Holy day, I take to be all one: Now the question may be, whither God did sanctify this day for himself to rest in, or for man (if not for both) I rather think for man: for, as for God, he rested no more on the 7th day, then on the 8th, 9th, and 10th days, and so every day after; but to man it might be otherwise, he might rest on the 7th day, and work on the 8th, 9th and 10th days &c. yea: many holy days God hath made since the Creation, Levite. 23. but it can nowhere be shown, that he made any for himself, but always for man: yet more plainly, that God sanctified the 7th day for man's use, it shall appear by the 4th come. Exod. 20.11. where the Lord useth a reason, to persuade us to rest on the 7th day, and it is this, because God himself rested on the 7th day, blessed it and hallowed it: which reason is drawn from the Sanctification of the 7th day at the Creation Genes. 2.3. as if the Lord had said, you shall rest on the 7th day: because, I blessed it and sanctified it at the Creation, for the self same end: hereby then it appeareth, that the 7th day at the Creation was sanctified with reference unto man: yet further, it shall appear by the words of our Savior, Mark. 2.27. saying, The Sabbath was made for man &c. it is plain then, that when God made the Sabbath at the Creation, he made it for man: thus it appeareth, that the Sabbath was from the Creation.

Herevnto some answer, that the Sabbath at the Creation, was exemplary indeed, but not obligatory, until the 4th come. was delivered in the wilderness. But the vanity of this distinction. shall thus appear. 1. If the law of the Sabbath, the 4th come. did not bind until it was delivered on Mount Sinai, then did none of the other Nyne come. bind neither, until they were delivered on Mount Sinai: unless you will say that the Law had not ever ten commandments in it, and that the law is not of a Copulatiue nature. 2. It were most strange to suppose, that God should give an example, more then 2000 years before any should follow it: for wherefore are examples, but for to be imitated? 3. When our Savior said, The Sabbath was made for man, Mark. 2.27. he meaneth not, that it was made at the Creation for an example useless, but for man's use, as to rest in it &c. 4. Can any man think it, that God should sanctify the 7th day, and so make it an holy day, at the Creation, and then suffer it to be profaned and polluted, for 2000 years after, until the Israelites came into the wilderness? or, can any man think, that God should make a Sabbath day at the Creation, for the people of the Jews only? who were not a people distinct of nere 2000 years after, and not for the Patriarchs also, who lived before the flood? or, can we think that the Fathers before the flood, had Sacrifices, and no Sabbaths? that they had the worship of God, and no time allotted for it? or can we think, that the Church of God from the Creation, had no day set apart, for a thankful & holy remembrance of the Creation of the world, until they were come into the wilderness?

II.

My second reason to prove that the Sabbath was from the Creation is, because the 4th come. must be supposed, to be as ancient, as are the other nine commandments of the Decalogue (for the Decalogue is holden of all, to be as ancient as the world) and so it must be, for else the Law were not of a copulative nature; the 10 commandments were not linked together, as a chain of many links: for one link, to wit, the 4th in midst of the chain should be wanting, contrary unto I am. 2.10. & contrary to the doctrine of all Divines. 2. If the 4th cō. were not as ancient as the other 9 commandments, then it must be absurdly supposed, that the Decalogue had not always 10 commandments in it, as it had Deut. 10.4. If then the 4th come. be as ancient as are the other 9 commandments, then the Sabbath therein commanded, must be as ancient, as is the Moral Law, which is for antiquity from the Creation.

It may be objected, that there is no mention of the Sabbath day, until the Law was given upon Mount Sinai, Exod. 20. or at soonest in the wilderness of Sin, Exo, 16.1.23. well, be it so, but doth it follow, that because it was not sooner mentioned, it was not therefore sooner in use? the Law against murder, it is not mentioned at the soonest, until after the murder of Abel Genes. 4.15. but will it thereof follow, that there was no Law against murder, before Cain killed Abel? we know, many things there were, which were not recorded; for else the world could not contain the books John. 21.25. on the contrary, for so much as we find, that the Sabbath was in use Exo. 16.23. before the 4th come. was given on mount Sinai, Ex. 20.1.8. it is therefore the most likely, that it was from the Creation: for if it had not its first original at Mount Sinai, when can it be thought to have its beginning, but at the Creation, together with the other commandments of the Decalogue?

III.

My third reason, that the Sabbath was from the Creation is, because we find not the Spiritual works of the Sabbath day particularly expressed in the 4th come. given upon Mount Sinai Exod. 20. nor yet in the mention of the same Law before, in the wilderness of Sin, Exo. 16. which is an argument, that the Sabbath day was in use, and the manner how to sanctify it, was well known unto the Jews, before either of these Laws were written Exod. 20. or Exod. 16.5.23.28. otherwise, God himself would in some of these texts, have expressed particularly unto them, after what manner, and where withal they should sanctify this day: The same is also confirmed, by the first word of the 4th come. Remember: Remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it: signifying that they knew before, and could call it to mind again, how to Sanctify the Sabbath day; and therefore touching this point, the Lord needed not say anymore unto them, but Remember it &c. I have often marvelled in myself, why it should please God, so punctually & expressly to mention, the corporal observation of the Sabbath, in resting from bodily labors, and be so silent as it were, in the Spiritual duties of the Sabbath, which are the more excellent: doubtless, the reason is because the Sanctification of the Sabbath did not then begin, when the Law was given Exod. 20. or Exo. 16. but that it was an ancient ordinance of God's, long before in the Church, & in the memory of all men before the giving of the Law, as were the other Morales in the Decalogue; so as they knew how to sanctify the day, and with what duties.

I confess it, that the Lord useth the word Sanctify in the 4th come. which doth in general imply the particular means and ways of sanctifying the day, but it doth not show us how or whereby in particular, the day should be sanctified: how know we at this day, where withal to sanctify the Sabbath day? we rather find is by observation, how the Church of God ever did sanctify it, then by the 4th come. as far as ever I could understand; we find the people and Church of God, constantly sanctifying it with sacred actiones: for they had on that day, holy conuocationes and assemblies, Levite. 23.3. then the people resorted unto the Prophets for instruction ii. King. 4, 23. then the Sacred Scriptures were publiquly red, Act. 15.21. then they sung Psalms, Psal. 92. then the people did worship before the Lord at the gate of the Temple, Ezek. 46.1.3. on this day our Savior Christ, and his Apostles after him, did constantly preach unto the people, Luk. 4.16. &c. Act. 13.44. Act. 16.13. Act. 17.2. Act. 18.4. Now as we learn, what God meant by the word Sanctify in the 4th come. by the observation how God's Church did sanctify the Sabbath day in their practice, so no doubt, those Israelites in the wilderness, knew what God meant by the word sanctify, by the constant practice of their ancestores before them.

IV.

My 4th reason is drawn from the first word of the 4th come. Remember: Remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it &c. now in as much as God commanded those Jews at Mount Sinai, to remember the Sabbath day, it implieth that the Sabbath day was in use before then, and that they knew it, and could call it to mind again: for remembrance implieth the calling to mind of a thing forepast and foreknown.

Hereto some may thus answer, admit this word remember hath relation to the Sabbath as foreknown, yet there may be a double relation, the one to the Sabbath as instituted from the Creation, the other to it as commanded in the wilderness of Sin Exod. 16. But that this word remember, hath relation to a knowledge beyond that in the wilderness of Sin, & consequently unto the Creation, it will appear 1. By this, that God bad them remember to Sanctify the Sabbath day, now how to sanctify the Sabbath day in a special manner, as hath been shown, they learned not by the 4th commandment Exod. 20. Nor in the wilderness of Sin Exod. 16. and therefore this word remember had reference to times before their being in the wilderness of Sin. 2. It is nothing probable, that this word should have reference but unto the Israelites being in the wilderness of Sin: for, the mention of the Sabbath in the wilderness of Sin, was but one month before the giving of the Law, on Mount Sinai, as you may see Exod. 16.1. Exod. 19.1. Now can it be thought, the Jsraelites were of so brittle memories, to forget a law given them but one month before, as they should stand in need to have the word Remember added so shortly after? is it not by far the more likely, that this word had reference unto some long time before, as unto the Creation, the memory whereof stod in need of a special Memorandum, least they should forget it? yea, doth not the reason annexed to the commandment Exod. 20.11. drawn from God's hallowing of the 7th day at the Creation, to move the Jews to sanctify the 7th day, imply so much? as if the Lord said, because I rested on the 7th day at the Creation, & therefore blessed it, & sanctified it for your holy use, therefore forget it not, though it was done long since, but Remember it, to sanctify it &c.

V.

My 5th reason: we do not only learn it from our Savior, that the Sabbath was made for man Mark. 2.27. But also more particularly, we find that it was made for the exercising mercy unto man, yea both to man & beast, as we read Exod. 23.12. Deut. 5, 14. that so poor tiered servants, might by a rest then be refreshed: hence I thus argue, if that the Sabbath was not from the Creation, and so before the Israelites came into the wilderness, then this absurdity shall follow; that God was not so mindful, to show mercy unto the poor tired servants of the Patriarchs; as he was unto the servants of the Jews in the wilderness: nor so merciful before the giving of the Law, as after.

6.

My 6th reason for the Antiquity of the Sabbath, shall be the vnanimouse consent of well nigh all Divines: for this purpose Doctor Bownd in his book on the Sabbath, pag. 6. saith, The Sabbath was from the beginning, from the Creation: it came in with the first man, & must go out with the last man: for confirmation hereof, he allegeth sundry Authores, as Vatabl. Junius, Peter Martyr, Bullinger, Hospinian, Danaus, Zanchi, & pag. 12. Chrysostom, Beza, Bertram, Athanasius.

To the same effect Walaeus de S • bbatho citeth sundry Authores of best note, pag. 43. as Philo Judaeus lib. 3. be vita Mosis: & among Christians Chrysostom Hom. 10. in cap. 2. Gen. Theodoret: quaest. in Genes. Augustine ad Casul. Epist. 86. Luther in 2. Cap. Genes. Zwingli comment. in 20. Cap. Exod. Calvin in 20 Cap. Exod. & in 5. Cap. Deut. Beza in 1. Cap. Apocalyp. Martyr in 2. Cap. Genes. and in 4. precept. Bullinger in Cap. 12. Mat. Zanchi de operibus creationis Cap. 1. Ursinus Catech: in 4. precept. Gualtherus in Math. 12. Homil. 162. The institution of the Sabbath (saith he) is most ancient, neither is there anything in all the worship of God more ancient &c. Aretius tom. 1. loc. come. loco 30. Bertrame in libello de Politia Iudaicea cap. 2. Mercerus in Cap. 2. Genes. Anton. Faius. Junius in 2. Genes. Pareus in 2. Genes. Zepperus lib. 4.24. de legib. forens. Iudaeorum. Alstedius Theol. Catecheti. Sect. 3. Cap. 6. Having quoted all these Authores, with others more, to prove the Sabbath was from the Creation, then Walaeus concludeth thus, The same also is affirmed, almost of all other interpreters, of the Reformed Church: neither (saith he) have I ever yet seen any that hath directly denied it, vnlese someone or two of our late writers, who have been bold to question it.

Here let me add what I find recorded by M. Ainsworth in his Annotationes on the 92. Psalm, upon the Title of it: where he saith the Chaldee paraphraseth upon it thus, An hymn, a song which the first man Adam, said for the Sabbath day, It seems therefore, by the judgment of Antiquity, that the Sabbath was from the Creation, and that Adam himself sanctified it. Let these reasons & Testimonies be put into the Scale, together with those on the contrary parte, & I believe those will not hold weight with these: and so much for the antiquity of this sacred ordinance, the 7th day Sabbath. Now shall we suffer so ancient an ordinance, to be causelessly and needlessly trampled under foot? who that loveth Antiquity, but should be in love with this so ancient an ordinance? then the which, is not a more ancient ordinance now in the Church of God; or if there be, it is not above one day older: this ordinance it is well nigh as ancient as the world it self. So much for the Antiquity of the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath.

A Dispensation touching the present practice.