A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 2 · Commentary · Section 5
SECT. V.
Hauing in the former Section, expounded the thing commanded, to wit, the time of Gods vvorſhip, in theſe words (Sabbath day) vve are novv to come vntounto the Commandement it ſelfe: and this is deliuered in diuerſe words, as in Exod. 20.8. Remember the Sabbath day: in Exod. 31.16. Wherefore the children of Iſrael ſhall Keepe the Sabbath, &c. and in Deut. 5.12. Keepe the Sabbath day, to ſanctify it, &c.
Wherefore the obſeruation of the Sabbath day, is not at liberty, but it is neceſſary, for it is ſtronghly Commanded, and that vnderunder theſe two words Remember: and Keepe.
For matter of vſe, ſince this time, is commanded in the firſt Table, a mongſt our duties to vvards God, and not in the ſecond Table, vve learne, that as to hallovv and ſanctify Gods Name, in the third Com. ſo to Sanctify Gods Time, in the 4th Com. is a parte of Gods worſhip; and therfore this time, is not to be ſleited, as it is by many, ſaying the 7th day you ſtand ſo for, it is but a matter of time, and God regardeth not time ſo much, &c. but ſay I then, why did God pleaſe ſo expreſly to giuegive a Commandement for it, ſaying Kepe it, and Remember it? and why did God place it, in ſo high a rank, as to ſet it into the firſt Table? they doe well therfore, who honour this time, this ſacred and ſanctified time, and who ſtand for it, and ſpeake for it. For my parte, I know no reaſon, why vve ſhold not ſtand for the Sanctification of Gods Time, as vvell as for the Sanctification of God Name, they being both Commanded, and both Commanded in the firſt Table.
An other vſe of this pointe, is it ſo, that God hath charged vsus to Remember his Sabbath day, vvhat vvill become of ſuch preachers thē, as are ſo farr off from a remembrance of it as that they teach men publikly to forget it? and to this euill end & ſinnefull, they labour to be blurr Gods day, by calling it odiouſly Iewiſh and Ceremoniall: and to this end, they hauehave coined many diſtinctions, wherby they would peruert the ſtraight vvay of the Lord, and put a ſtumbling blocke before the people, that ſo this thing commanded by God might be ſlighted; yea, they hauehave ſo handled the matter, and blered the eyes of the people, that they are ſo farre off novv from Remembring the Sabbath day, as that, (poore people as they are) they know not which day of the weeke ſhould be called Sabbath day.
As theſe Miniſter ſhall vndoubtedly anſwer to God, for the ſinne of the people, in profanation of the Lords Sabbath weekly; ſo doe I vviſh and aduiſe all people, to lay the weight and perill of their ſoules, vponupon theſe their Miniſters, vvho tach them thus: telling them plainly thus, we ſee a plaine and expreſſe commandement of Almightie God for the Sabbath day, but vve ſee none for the Lords day; vvherefore vve dare not in our conſciences, ſpeake againſt the Sabbath day, no nor profane it, by that common light of vnderſtanding and conſcience which God hath giuen vsus to iudg by: if we durſt truſt our ovvne iudgments, vve durſt not but ſanctify the Sabbath day; and God knoweth, if you our Miniſters, vvere as vvilling as vve are, we vvould keepe it holy; vvherfore, th… fault is not in vsus, nor the ſinne ours, if it be profaned; ſee you to it therfore, our blood be vponupon you, if we periſh in this ſinne eternally, or be plagued of God for it heere temporally; for, it is only the r…uerent regard, vvhichwhich vve hauehave of you, and your lerning, and honeſty, which maketh vsus to diſregard this thing commanded of God: this we ſhall be able to plead before Almightie God, at that greate day of Aſſiſes, that we are innocent in this matter; and if for all this, it then goe ill vvith vsus, vve ſhall curſe the day, that euer vve knevv you, and beleeued you: thus I aduiſe people, to diſclaime and abandon the hauing any hand in this ſinne, and to lay the burden of it, vvholly vponupon ſuch their Miniſters, as doe perſiſt in enmity to the Lords Sabbathes, or to any thing commanded in the 4th Com. novv the reaſon of this my aduiſe is, becauſe I finde the people generally, indifferently affected, and ready enough to imbrace Gods auncient Sabbath in conſcience of Gods 4th Com. and the only bridle, that cauſeth them to refraine conſent, is the reuerent opinion they hauehave of their Miniſters, vvho are contrarily minded, and teach them otherwiſe, &c. Whereby it appeareth, that the whole fault is in their Miniſters; and therfore hauehave I aduiſed the people, to lay the waight and whole burden of this matter, vponupon their Miniſters, to prouoke them to reforme and cale backe their erroniouſe Doctrines touching God Sabbathes, leaſt they hauehave the blood of many ſoules an other day laied to their charge.
An other vſe of this pointe, is againſt Miniſters alſo, and it is of exceeding greate conſequence, enough to cauſe the haire vponupon their heads to ſtand right vp, and their hearts to tremble againe if there be any louelove and feare of God left in them: it is this; Is it ſo, that Almightie God hath charged and commanded vsus to Remember his Sabbath day, to ſanctify it; and to this end hath giuen vsus his 4th com. how dangerouſe then, is the caſe of ſuch Miniſters, as hauehave by theire vaine diſtinctiones, and fond obiections, not only aboliſhed the Lords Sabbath day it ſelfe, but alſo by aboliſhing it, hauehave quite and cleane for euer, ouer throwne all the 4th commandement alſo; ſo as the 4th com. ſhall novv ſtand among the 10 commandements, but as a Cipher of no vſe; behold vvhat hauocke ſome Puritane Miniſters hauehave made, that ſo they might make a way to bring in, and vphold their Lords day Sabbath.
That it may appeare to the world, that I taxe them not cauſleſly, I proceed to proue what I hauehave ſaid; and that partly from their diſtinctions, and partly from their obiections: Firſt for their diſtinctions; they doe diſtinguiſh of the time in the 4th com. and of the dueties of reſt and holineſſe, in the time: Now for the time, the 7th day, and the Sabbath day, theſe are Iewiſh (ſay they) ceremoniall and aboliſhed: but the dueties in the time, they onelyonly are morall and perpetuall: and to this head come all their other diſtinctions, and from hence they are deriued: vponupon this diſtinction, thus I argue; If that time, that is, all that time which was commanded to the Iewes, and compriſed in theſe words (the 7th day) and (the Sabbath day) be a ceremony and aboliſhed as Iewiſh, then is there no time left in the 4th com. for any Sabbath day: But that time, that is, all that time, once commanded to the Iewes, and compriſed in theſe words (the 7th day, and, (the Sabbath day) is a ceremony and aboliſhed as Iew ſh: Therefore there is no time left in the 4th. com. for any Sabbath day: and, by conſequence, no 4th com. For the Minor, they cannot deny it; for it is a limme of their owne diſtinction; for they ſay (the 7th day) is aboliſhed, and (the Sabbath day) to wit, that ancient Sabbath day, commanded to the Iewes in the 4th com. that they ſay alſo, is, Iewiſh and aboliſhed: Wherefore vnleſſe they can ſhew vsus ſome new Scripture, or ſome other partes of the 4th com. which hauehave hitherto laine hidden and vnknovvne, where there is mention made of any other 7th day then one, and of any other Sabbath day thē one, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that when they ſay, that that one 7th day, and that one Sabbath day, once commanded to the Iewes in the 4th com. is aboliſhed, that then all the time once commanded, is aboliſhed; for, all the time then commanded, was that one 7th day time onelyonly; and that one 7th day time, was all the time, that was commanded: take away then one, and you take avvay all. For the Major its conſequence, it is cleere of it ſelfe, That if all the commanded time, in the commandement, be aboliſhed; then there is no commanded time, left in the commandement, for a Sabbath day: for example, ſuppoſe a man hath a garden, wherein are ſondry bedes of herbes, among the vvhichwhich he hath one bedd of Tyme: If now the gardiner come and cut vp by the rootes, or roote out, and digge vp all that bedd of Tyme; may not a man ſoundly argue thus, that if all the Tyme in the garden be rooted vp, that then there is no Tyme left in the garden? Why ſo it is in our caſe, take away that time, that was commanded, and there is no time, that is, no commanded time. Thus you ſee, that by their aboliſhing of that very day and time, which the Iewes kept, to wit, that Sabbath day, and that 7th day, they hauehave aboliſhed all time out of the 4th com. ſo as novv it commandeth not any day, nor any time to be ſanctified.
In the laſt place, I am to proue, that if there be no time left in the 4th com. that is, no commanded time; that then by conſequence, there is no 4th com. in vſe, but that it is a meere Cipher. For this purpoſe, remember, they diſtinguiſhed of the things commanded, to be the time, and the dueties in the time: the time then being aboliſhed, as hath bene proued, and as they every where profeſſe to hold, there remaineth nothing in the commandement, as commanded, but the dueties in the time, to vvit, Reſt and holy actions, and for theſe dueties, there is no commanded time left now, ſo that either the dueties, muſt fall to the ground, and be aboliſhed together with the time, as common reaſon would teach a man; for, the proper time or proper place for any thing being taken avvay, the action to be done in that time, or in that place, muſt needs be taken avvay alſo, and ſo the dueties muſt come to naught and be nullified, for vvant of a fit and proper time to doe them in: or, if any time be to be allotted for theſe dueties, (in caſe me may abſurdly ſuppoſe the dueties to ſurviue the time) it is not a commanded time; for thats gone and aboliſht, as they ſay; vvherefore it muſt be an indifferent time, and at the vvill and pleaſure of men onelyonly: or, at moſt, it muſt be no more time, then can by force of neceſſary conſequence, be collected for the performance of thos dueties, Reſt, and holineſſe: vvell then to proceed, let vsus ſee vvhat time it is which they can collect: ſure I am, that from the conſideration of the dueties of Reſt and holineſſe, as they ſtand in the 4th com. they can collect no more but this, that if God hath commanded, theſe dueties of Reſt and holineſſe, to be performed; then there muſt be a time, or ſome time allotted out by man, for the performance thereof.
Now be it granted, that ſome time muſt be allowed for theſe dueties; the queſtion then is 1. when that time muſt be? 2. How often that time muſt be? 3. Hovv long that time muſt be? For ſo much as novv by their opinions, the time of the 4th com. is vtterly aboliſhed, therefore thes queſtions cannot be ſatisfied by the 4th com. the Church therefore muſt determine them. To the firſt then I anſvver, vvhen muſt the time, or Sabbath be? why euen then, vvhen men pleaſe it ſhould be, as they can agree vponupon the matter: This age may appoint it, at one time, an other age may appoint it at an other time. To the ſecond queſtion I anſwer for them, hovv often muſt that time be, for performance of thes dueties of the Sabbath? vvhy, ſince thoſe vvords the 7th day is the Sabbath, Exod. 20.10. be aboliſhed vvhichwhich taught vsus hovv often to keepe a Sabbath day, to vvit, eueryevery 7th day; vvhy novv vve are left to our choiſe and liberty; for novv, vve are not by Gods commandement, nor by any neceſſity of conſequence in reſpect of the dueties, vrged to giuegive God a Sabbath day, frequently, but the Commandement may be throughly fulfilled, if we giuegive God a day, either once in eueryevery 7 dayes, or once in eueryevery 14 dayes, or once in eueryevery 21 dayes; or once in a monethmonth, or once in a yeere, or once in 7 yeere, or once in a mans liefe: ſo be that once in a mans liefe, a man doth Reſt and performe holy exerciſes, a vvhole day long, he hath fulfilled the Commandement; for it requireth by their doctrine, novv no more, but Reſt and holineſſe a day long, vvith out any mention hovv often. To the third queſtion, I anſwer for them, hovv long muſt that time be, vvhen it cometh? vvhy, not a day long; for the time, and the vvord Day in the 4th Com. is aboliſhed (ſay they) ſo then, novv the Com. requireth not a day to begiuen God, vvhither a day of 12 or of 24 hovvres: it only requireth the duties of Reſt and holineſſe: vvell then, if the Church giuegive God but one hovvre in a day, vvhen the day commeth, in the duties of Reſt and holineſſe, the com. is fulfilled; and thus the Church, needeth not, vnleſſe they vvill, giuegive God any other Sabbath, but one hovvre vponupon ſome one day by hearing a Sermon; for all that hovvre they performe the duties of the Sabbath, to vvit, Reſt, and holineſſe: ſo then to ſumm vp the Sabbath which thes Miniſters muſt hauehave; It is a Reſt from laboures, and an holy exerciſe of prayer vvith the Miniſter, and harkening vntounto Gods vvord preacht, an vvholl hovvre long; and that once in a vveeke, or once in a monethmonth, or once in 7 yeeres; or once in a mans lief time, behould your Sabbath? One thing I muſt remember you of, vvhichwhich is this, that Gods time being aboliſhed, this time of an hovvre or the like, vvhichwhich comes now by force of collection, it is not a Diuine time, but an Humane time; ſo the com. is embaſed, by the chang of a Diuine time, for an Humane time. Iudg novv Chriſtian reader, if by theire diſtinctions, houlding the time in the com. ceremoniall, they hauehave not nullified with the time, the vvholl 4th Comm. alſo: for, 1. vvhereas the time, ſhould be at Gods appointement, when? novv they hauehave brought it to be at manes appointement, when he vvill. 2. vvheras the Sabbath day vvas frequent, once in 7 dayes; now it needeth not be once in 7 yeeres. 3. vvheras the Sabbath vvas a day longe; novv it needeth not by the 4th com. be aboue an houre long: vvheras then the Commandement was, Remember the Sabbath day: now it may rune thus, Remember the Sabbath hovvre. I may novv with Dauid turne my ſpeech from men, vntounto God. and ſay, It is time for thee Lord to worke, for they hauehave deſtroyed thy Law.
Yet further I proue againſt them, that they hauehave aboliſhed the vvhole 4th Com. and that by their aboliſhing of the proper time in the 4th Comm. vvheras they ſay there are twoo things in the 4th Com. the one is the time, and this is aboliſhed; the other is the duties in the time, as reſt and holineſſe, and thes they hould Morall; if then I ſhall proue that thes duties, are nullified and aboliſhed then you vvill ſay vvith me, that they hauehave aboliſhed the 4th Com. indeed: for both the time, and the duties alſo vvill be aboliſhed. For this purpoſe we muſt know, that there are Sabbath day duties, and 4th Com. duties, properly ſo called; and there are duties very like vntounto them; as one egg is like an other; but the like is not the ſame; or as a counterfait ſhilling is like a true and current ſhilling; but yet it is not a true ſhilling and paiable by the Kings authority: thus Samuels Sacrificing, and Sauls Sacrificing, where alike, but Samuels Sacrificing, vvas properly a Sacrificing, Sauls was but an Apiſh imitation, and a counterfait: for he vvas not the perſon that ſhould doe it: So to reſt from laboure an vvholle day, and to ſanctifie it, in Holy proformances: this day being the 7th day, which is properly called Sabbath day, thus theſe duties, are properly called Sabbath day, and 4th Com. duties: but on the other ſide, to reſt an whole day, from labour, and to ſanctifie it by holy proformances, and this day not being the 7th day, but ſome other day: theſe dueties novv are very like the other indeed, as one egg to an other, as a counterfait, is to a currant ſhilling? and as Sauls Sacrificing was to Samuels; but they are not the ſame duties, nor can they be properly called Sabbath day duties, nor 4th Com. duties; no more then a counterfait can be called a true ſhilling, or Sauls Sacrificing be counted Samuels Sacrificing; be cauſe this was not the day vvhereon theſe ſhold be done.
For example, the Iewes had yeerly Sabbathes; and weckly Sabbathes; now albeit the reſt, and the holy actions, done on the yeerly Sabbath day, vvere a like, and all one for kind, with thoſe done on the weekly Sabbath day, yet no man vvill ſay they were the weekly Sabbath day dueties, or the 4th Com. dueties; for they vvere done by virtue of an other ſpeciall Com. Againe the Iewes, had Sabbath dayes; and they had faſt dayes, and alſo dayes of publike thankſgiuing, as vve hauehave on Coronation and Gunpovvder treaſon dayes and the like: Novv albeit they did reſt vponupon theſe dayes, and performe like dueties, as vponupon theire Sabbath day, yet no man will ſay theſe were Sabbath day dueties properly, and 4th Com. dueties: I truſt no man thinketh that thoſe are Sabbath day duties, and 4th Com. dueties, vvhichwhich vve doe on Chriſtmas day vvhen it falleth on a weeke day, or on Coronation day, and the like: no theſe are but like them: Thus it is for our Lords day, albeit we doe the like dueties on this day, which ought to be done on the Saturday Sabbath yet are they not the ſame: for they differ much, as 1. they differ in the day; thoſe vvere done on the 7th day, properiy called Sabbath day, and ſo Sabbath day dueties: theſe, on the 8th day, called Lords day, and ſo Lords day dueties: 2. thoſe vvere done in memory of the Creation; theſe in memory of the Redemption. 3. thoſe vvere done by the appointement of God in the Lavv; theſe, are ſuppoſed to be done, by the appointment of Chriſt in the goſpell. 4. thoſe vvere done in imitation of God, at the Creation; who then reſted on the 7th day, and hallowed the 7th day, Geneſ. 2.2.3. But theſe dueties of Reſt and holineſſe on the Lords day, are not done in imitation of God at all, for it is the 8th day. Novv vvere there no more but the firſt difference, in that thes duties were done on a wrong day, it vvere enough to ſhevv that theſe are no Sabbath day dueties, nor 4th Com. dueties, no more then Sauls Sactificing was Samuels Sacrificing or a true and commanded Sacrificie: but all the 4. differences put together, it is manifeſt, that the dueties of reſt and holineſſe which we performe on the Lords day, are not Sabbath day dueties, nor 4th com. dueties, though they be neuer ſo like them: wherefore ſince thes be not the dueties commāded in the 4th com. which we performe, it followth that the proper dueties of the 4th Com. are nullified and aboliſhed, as vvell as the time and day; and ſo the time, and the dueties in the time, being both aboliſhed, the whole 4th Com. is aboliſhed.
Thus hauing proued from their diſtinctiones, that they hauehave aboliſhed not onelyonly the Lords Sabbaths, but alſo the 4th Com. it ſelfe: I am novv alſo to proue the ſame, from their obiections, vvherby ther profane abuſe of Scripture ſhall appeare, in that they ſo expound Scripture, as therby they ouerturne one of the Tenn Morall Lavves, the 4th Com. and by that time this be made apparant, I truſt all that louelove God, vvill hate their doinges; and they that louelove Gods Commandements, vvill contemne their Expoſitiones: for this purpoſe I vvill produce you two of ther ſtrongeſt and maine Textes, vvhence they collect their obiections: the one is, Col. 2.16. Let no man condemne you in meate, or drink, or in reſpect of an holy day, or of the New Moone, or of the Sabbaths: vvhere by the word Sabbaths, they vvill needs vnderſtand the vveekly Sabbath commanded in the 4th Com. and ſo that ſhall be aboliſhed in this text, as a Shaddovv of Chriſt, The other Text is, Exod. 31.13. verily, my Sabbaths ye ſhall keepe, for it is a ſigne betweene me & you, &c. Where ſay they, the vveekly Sabbath, mentioned in the 4th comm. is made a Signe, and ſo it is aboliſhed. Novv from thes two textes and obiections of theirs, I gather two arguments as neceſſarily follovving, for the vtter abolition of the 4th com.
The firſt is this, that if theſe two textes doe (as they ſay) aboliſh that very Sabbath day, vvhere of God ſpake in his 4th com. then are theſe vvords in the com. to vvit, the Sabbath day: a ceremony and aboliſhed: the reaſon of this conſequence is, becauſe theſe vvords Sabbath day, in their two textes, are in their nature the ſame, and of the ſame extent, vvith the like or ſame words (Sabbath day) in the 4th com. and it muſt be ſo, for they oppoſe thes words (Sabbath day) in their two textes, vntounto the like vvords (Sabbath day) in the 4th com. the one to aboliſh the other. This being ſo, I proceed, if that theſe vvords in the 4th com, to vvit, Sabbath day, be a ceremony and aboliſhed, then is the 4th com. nullified, and vtterly ouerthrovvne: that this is ſo, I pray looke the text, Exod. 20.8. Remember (the Sabbath day) to ſanctify it: I hauehave put the vvords in controuerſy, in a parentheſis as you ſee; novv let thes Miniſters take a way thoſe vvords in the parentheſis, and you take quiet avvay, the very ſubiect matter of the Lords ſpeech: you leaue a roofe with out a foundation: God ſaith, Remember the Sabbathday: but if now there be no Sabbath day, for that it is aboliſhed, as they ſay, hovv then ſhall a man Remember it? God commandeth to keepe the Sabbath day, Deut. 5.12. but if there be no Sabbath day, hovv ſhall a man keepe it? Againe, God ſaith, ſanctifie it: but how ſhall we ſanctify it, if it be not? vvhat can vve Remember to ſanctify a nothing? ſo thus I hauehave ſhown, that the very commandement, the 4th com. is vtterly nullified by their obiectiones, and made to ſpeake non-ſenſe, or a nothing; this is my firſt argument.
My 2d argument, is taken from the vvord Sabbath in their owne ſenſe & vſe of it; for when I vrge thē with the name Sabbath in the 4th com. they turne me off vvith this, that the Hebrew vvord Sabbath, ſignifieth a Reſt, in Engliſh: vvell be it ſo, a Reſt let it ſignify: from theſe two textes then, I argue againe, thus, If the Reſt in the 4th com. be aboliſhed, thē is the 4th com. it ſelfe, vtterly aboliſhed: but that the Reſt in the 4th com. is aboliſhed; them ſelues confeſſe it in their obiected two Textes: for in thes Textes, is the vvord Sabbath, ſee Exod. 31.13. Col. 2.16. vvhichwhich vvord Sabbath ſignifieth a Reſt, novv they doe oppoſe the word Sabbath which ſignifieth a Reſt, in Exod. 31.13. Col. 2.16. againſt the ſame vvord Sabbath, in the 4th comm. which ſignieth a Reſt alſo, prouing vntounto vsus, that the Sabbath and Reſt in the 4th com. is a ſigne and a ſhaddovv, and ſo aboliſhed, by theſe Textes, Exod. 31. Col. 2. which being ſo, hence it is apparent by their owne vvorke and ſenſe, that not onelyonly the Hebrevv vvord Sabbath is an aboliſhed ceremony and ſhaddovv, but alſo that the Reſt vvhichwhich it ſignifieth, is alſo a ceremony and an aboliſhed ſhaddovv. And ſo I come to proue the conſequence, namely, that if the Reſt in the 4th com. be aboliſhed, then is the 4th com. vtterly and for euer aboliſhed: this I make good thus; if that Reſt from our ſeruile laboures, be aboliſhed, vvhichwhich was once in the 4th com. commanded, then novv vve may labour, in our calings, not onelyonly on the ſixe dayes, but alſo on the 7th day; not onelyonly on the vveeke dayes but alſo, on the Sabbath day; and if vve may on the Sabbath day, be occupied a broad the fieldes after our buſineſſes, this doth neceſſarily exclud all neceſſity of aſſembling in the congregation, to pray together, and praiſe God togeather; for hovv can a man be both a broad and at home; in the field and in the Church; plovving there, and praying heere, both together?
Thus I hauehave finiſhed my arguments, raiſed out of their two Textes, vvherehy I hauehave proued, that from their obiections and expoſitions, there follovveth not onelyonly an abolition of the Lords Sabbaths, but alſo a nullification of Gods 4th com. I muſt needs confeſſe, I can but wonder that there is any Sabbath day at all, kept in our Church, vvhen I conſider of thes common receiued diſtinctions, and obiections; for they doe directly ouerturne all force and virtue of the 4th com. for the keeping of any day at all as thence: and to goe about to raiſe a Sabbath day, out of the Nevv Teſtament is impoſſible, as ſhall be ſhovvne, vnleſſe ſome Nevv Scriptures can be found out, that be not now in our Bibles; wherefore conſidering theſe things, it muſt needs be a ſingular vvorke, and prouidence of God, to incline the hartes of our Church to giuegive God a Sabbath vntounto this day: but it lyeth at the pittes brinke, and at the laſt gaſpe, the leaſt puſh of a profane minde, vvho ſpurneth at piety, would thruſt it in, and bury it for euer.
Thus much be ſpoken of this vſe, wherein I hauehave conuicted theſe Miniſters, of the vtter ouerthrow & aboliſhing of the 4th com. and that partly by this, that they hauehave aboliſhed that day and time which is preſcribed in the 4th com. ſo that now we can not hauehave the commanded time, the Diuine time, nor that ſanctified time; and as good therefore no time. But ſuppoſe we muſt hauehave a time, by force of conſequence, why then hauehave we for a Diuine time, appointed by God, an humane time, by man: and for a time ſanctified by God, we hauehave a profane time and vnſanctified: and yet for all this, this time is not a day, nor weekly; but an houre in a day, once in a mans life: or at the beſt, but a Lecture day for a Saabath day: thus much for the time. Now as for the dueties in the time, either they hauehave vtterly aboliſhed them alſo, as hath bene ſhowne; or at the beſt they hauehave but counterfeit Sabbath dueties, for true Sabbath dueties: ſo much of the dueties. Laſtly, they hauehave as hath bene ſhowne, taken away the very ſubiect matter of the 4th comm. ſo as now God commandeth vsus to Remember a nothing; and to ſanctify a nothing; and ſo Gods commandement is made ridiculouſe. Loe, this foule errour, it is an errour, worthy the diſcouery; and high time it is that God ſhould raiſe vp ſome man to diſcouer theſe things, and to ſtand in defence of his 4th com. and for this cauſe, as I hauehave intitled my booke, a defence of the Lords Sabbaths; ſo hauehave I intitled it alſo a defence of the 4th com. for you ſee how they hauehave by blotting out the Lords Sabbaths, alſo defaced the whole commandement with them.
It is ſtrang to ſee, what violence this one finale portion of Scripture, to wit, Gods 4th com. hath vndergone: and it is the more ſtrang, conſidering the learning and knowledge of theſe times: what vaine & friuolouſe diſtinctions, of a Sabbath & the Sabbath, of one day in 7: of the Sabbath belonging to vsus, as it ſignifieth a Reſt: & as it belongeth vntounto all Nations: that the time is a ceremony, & the duties in the time morall: by all which they exclud the proper time in this 4th com. and yet then againe to contradict themſelues; though the time of day be aboliſhed, yet ſtill they will hauehave the day, and a day out of the 4th com. and a day too of 24 houres long: and though the Sabbath day, be aboliſhed, as they hold, yet they vvill hauehave a Sabbath day ſtill, & out of the 4th com. too: The 10. commandements they call them the Morall Law: but bring them to this point, of the Sabbath day, and then they are become partly Morall, partly ceremoniall; they might as well ſay, that that which in common ſpeech they call white, as the ſnovv, that it is partly white, partly blacke. The Papists are blamed for making the 2d com. Iewiſh and Ceremoniall; and yet ſay we this 4th Comm. touching the Sabbath day, is Iewiſh and Ceremoniall: thus hauing contradicted our ſelues, then vve fall to botching and cobling of the Commandement; firſt it is fained that the Lords Sabbath day is aboliſhed, and vvorne out of vſe; and then to repaire the loſſe and breach againe, that there may be a full number of ten Commandements, the 4th comman. wherein the breach vvas, muſt be cobled vp againe, the nevv leather where with all it muſt be amended, it is the Lords day, and it is put into the roome of the old and ouer vvorne Sabbath day: ſo we hauehave now, a new-old com. or an old-new com. whither you vvill; for it is partly old, and partly new. Laſtly, as if all the former were not enough, after ſondry contradictions; and after ſondry fine diſtinctions, whereby they hauehave violently torne a ſunder, what the Almightie hath inviolably and inſeperablie ioyned together, at laſt they caſt them all quite away, aboliſhing both time, and dueties in the time, and commandement & all: thes, with others, which I might reckone vp, and with other violences and abuſes, which yet I am to diſcouer, hath this one ſmall portion of Scripture, the 4th com. vndergone: I cannot thinke, any one portion of Scripture, in controverſy betvvixt vsus and Papiſts, hath bene more wreſted, and abuſed by them, then this by vsus: God amend it. Paul telleth Timothy 1. Tim. 1.7. that there were ſome among them which deſiring to be teachers of the law, vnderſtood not what they ſaid, nor whereof they affirmed: This Scripture is verified of ſome Teachers in theſe dayes, as may appeare by the premiſſes; and as ſhall yet further appeare hereafter.
I come now to the word Remember, and touching this word, a reaſon may be demanded, why the Lord ſhould put a Memorandum vntounto this com. aboue any others of the 10? and why the Commandement, ſhould be expreſſed by this word Remember? The common reaſon hereof rendered by diuins is, to preuent careleſnes and forgetfulneſſe on the ſix working dayes, of the Sabbath day, next enſuing; leaſt men ſhould leaue ſome common workes of the ſix dayes, to be done on the 7th day Sabbath: this I confeſſe a trueth indeed, but this is not all I ſuppoſe: for, if one demandeth a reaſon, why God prefixed a Memento to this Com. more then vntounto any other of the commandements, this cannot be the reaſon; becauſe that by mens not forethinking, of the Sabbath, ſome vvorkes are left vndone on the ſix dayes, to be done on the Sabbath day, and ſo the Sabbath is profaned, and the 4th com. tranſgreſſed: For, ſeeing that vve are in like danger, of breaking eueryevery other of the Commandements, by a careleſnes and a not forethinking of our dueties in them enioyned, it ſhould hauehave bene needfull therefore, to hauehave had a Memorandum prefixed, vntounto eueryevery one of the 10. Com. as vvell as vntounto this 4th com. leaſt we breake them alſo, through forgetfulneſſe: but ſince a Memorandum is put to this com. and not vntounto others, ſuch a reaſon therefore would be ſought, as agreeth to this com. and not vntounto others: Novv in this point, if I may take leaue, to deliuer mine opinion, I cannot finde out a better reaſon then this: God foreſeeing, that after a long time, that is, about 364 yeeres after Chriſt (for then was the Sabbath day aboliſhed, by the Laodicean Counſaile, as afterwards you ſhall heare more) this his Sabbath day, vvould be not in part violated, and profanely kept; but that it vvould be vtterly and altogether blotted out of remembrance, in all Chriſtian Churches, for 1200 yeeres together, as it is to this day; to preuent which forgetfulneſſe and vtter neglect of his Sabbath day, it pleaſed God, to prefixe a Memento to this com. that ſo, if it be forgotten, it might in time, by one meanes or other, be brought to remembrance againe, which God graunt.
If we take a ſuruey of all the 10 Com. we ſhall find, that nothing commanded in any of them, is ſo wholly and vtterly buried and forgotten, as is the Sabbath day, commanded in the 4th com. vvhen they had buried Chriſt, they laid a ſtone vponupon him, and ſealed it, to make all ſure, that he might neuer riſe againe; ſo hauehave they buried the Lords Sabbath day, and leaſt it riſe againe, they hauehave caſt an heape of ſtones vponupon it, calling it Iewiſh, and Iudaiſme, and a ſigne and ſhaddow, and a buried aboliſhed ceremony, and vvhat not? and all to bring it out of remembrance: Now though Papiſts, hauehave foully forgotten the 2d com. yet all Proteſtants remember it well enough, God be thanked: I know not any one thing in all the 10. Commandements, forgotten by Reformed Churches, but this one thing onelyonly, to vvit, the Lords Sabbath day: and as for this; this is forgotten of all, both Proteſtants and Papiſts: it was very needfull therefore, that the Lord ſhould prefixe a Memorandum to this Comman. aboue and before all others, that ſo his Churches might come into a remembrance of his Sabbath day againe.
The Lords Sabbaths are novv forgotten, they ley buried in abhorred forgetfulneſſe, like as a mans body, lieth ſtinking in the graue, God graunt them a ſpeedy and glorious reſurrection: they are forgotten, God of his mercy bring them once againe to remembrance. I am but a poore and meane one, eueryevery way low and little, timorouſe by nature, ſtammering in toung, vnfitted for a buſineſſe of this nature, ſo as I durſt not aduenture vponupon a buſineſſe of this conſequence, if by any other meanes or perſons, I could hauehave foreſeene any poſſibility of a reuiuing the Lords Sabbaths: but looking about, and ſeeing none that would ſet to his hands, but that ſtill the Lords Sabbaths muſt remaine in obliuion; I hauehave aboue and beyond my vvonted courage, (as it is vvell knovvne) taken vntounto me a fiery zeale for the Lord of Hoaſtes; if it be raſhneſſe, I vvill be raſh: if it be folly, I vvill be a foole, vvith Dauid; if I periſh, I periſh: that ſmall mite, and ſingle Talent, vvherevvith all God hath be truſted me, I vvill improue it and imploy it, to the vtmoſt, for the reducing Gods Sabbaths, into remembrance againe, in his Churches: hitherto, in compariſon of this cauſe of Gods, I hauehave not counted deere vntounto mee, Wife nor Children, Friends nor Country, maintenance nor good name; but cheerfully in regard of the goodneſſe of the cauſe, hauehave parted with them all more or leſſe; I hauehave now nothing left, but life and liberty, and theſe I truſt, the ſame God that hath inabled me, will ſtill; I am in a readincſſe, to depart with theſe alſo or either of theſe, for God, and to ſeale vp his trueth with my liefe or liberty, that ſo I may once at length attaine vntounto that ioyfull Crowne of Martyrdome, for bringing Gods Sabbathes, into remembrance againe. Remember the Sabbath day.
A greate worke requireth many hands, and can you, yee Trib of Leuie, gaze on, to ſe the iſſue; whilſt one, ſingly and alone, ſtriueth beyond his ſtrength; and laboureth till out of breath, in Gods quarrel; you neither animating, nor parte taking, nor putting your leaſt finger to the vvorke? I know you can not plead ignorance, vnleſſe it be affected; the point is eaſy and familiar; were you but as willing, as able, I could not warr alone: ſaid the Angell of the Lord, curſe yee Meroz, curſe yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof: becauſe they came not to the helpe of the Lord, to the helpe of the Lord againſt the mightie, Iud. 5.23. why abideſt thou (Leuie) among the ſheepfoulds, to heare the bleatings of the flockes, v. 16. come forth, come forth to helpe the Lord: the worke is mightie, to cauſe through all Curches, a remembrance of the Sabbaths of the Lord: it is not a priuate cauſe, that a ſingle one only ſhould combate, the wholl army of Gods hoaſt, muſt take vp armes, the cauſe is publike and vniuerſally generall: but if nothing will auaile; vvhat ſhall I curſe, as ſaid the Angell of the Lord? no, Chriſtianes muſt not curſe, but bleſſe; I pray God giuegive them better hartes: it vvas Pauls caſe, at my firſt anſwer (quoth hee) no man ſtood with mee, but all men forſooke mee: wherfore vvith Paul, I pray God it be not laid to their charge, 2 Tim. 4.16. in meane time I faint not, but fight I doe, and fight I will, vhhither with many of with fevv, vvhilſt I hauehave any breath or being.
And thus farre of the Commandement, and of the vvord Remember.