The Doctrine of the Sabbath, Title page – To the reader
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH. Wherein the first institution of the vveekly Sabbath, with the time thereof, the nature of the Law binding man to keep it, the true grounds, and necessity of the first institution, and of the observation of it, on the severall day in the Old Testament, and also of the removing of it to the first day under the Gospell, are laid open and proved out of the Holy Scriptures. ALSO Besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof, these two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of Gods Word. First, that the Lord Christ God and Man, is the Lord of the Sabbath, on whom the Sabbath was first founded, & by whom it was changed from the last to the first day of the weeke; and is on that day unchangeably to be kept by all true Christians, untill they come to the Eternall rest in Heaven, after the generall resurrection. 2. That the faithfull under the Gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly Sabbath of the Lords day, by vertue of the fourth Commandement, as the Fathers under the Law were bound to keep the seventh day. Delivered In divers Sermons by GEORGE WALKER B. of Divinity and Pastor of St. Iohn Evangelists Church in LONDON.
LEVIT. 19.30.
Ye shall keepe my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary: I am the Lord.
Printed at Amsterdam, in the yeare 1638.
To the Christian Reader.
THe Author of this Treatise being much importuned, to publish his Sermons concerning the Sabbath (preached in his owne Parish-Church to his owne Flocke) not onelyonly by divers of his Ch…istian Hearers; but also by others both Preachers and godly people, who had heard by report the manner of his large handling and expounding of this Text, did yeeld at length to their Req…ests, and composed this Treatise, which containes in it the whole summe and substance of the matter more largely delivered. The Copie whereof written with his owne hand, he gave to be imparted from hand to hand, and transcribed by such as did d…sire to make use of it, for their owne satisfaction, and the inst…uction of their owne private Families and Christian friends. Which comming to my hands, I thought fitt to publ…sh and impart i… to the Engl…sh C…urches in those C…u…tries on this other sid… of the S…as; being credibly informed, that the Author …s not unwill…ng to submite his Doct…ine to the judgement of the true Reformed Church…s of Ch…ist, acco…ding to that saying of the holie Apostle, 1 Cor. 14.3…. The spirits of the P…ophets are subject to the Prophets. Let those things which be…ein seeme most of all to savour of noveltie, be read without prejudice and sinister aff…ction, & weig…ed by the sh…kel of the Sanctuarie, and I doubt not but such as are judicious, will …i…de them to be auncient truths like pure old gold newlie brought to light out of the old treasu…e of the sacred Scriptu…es, in which m…ny p…ofitable truths fitt for these last times remaine, yet to be more clearely revealed. Which God w…ll undoubtedly bring to light, by such as d…gge deeper in those mines then others formerly have done, and labour to …raw st…ll more Waters of comfort out of those Wells of Salvation. To that God onelyonly immortall, and infinit in goodnesse and wisedome, and to …he wo…d of his grace I commend you, which is able to bui…d you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH.
Gen. 2:2.3.
And on the seventh God ended his vvorke which he had made, and he rested the seventh day from all his wo…ke which he had made. 3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because in it he had rested from all his worke which God created and made.