A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 2 · Commentary · Section 10
SECT. X.
Hauing finiſhed the Expoſition of the 4th Com. & diſcouered the manifould erroures, & ſhamfull abuſes of it; that I might yet further make theſe erroures appeare; I purpoſe here to mention two things: The former is, to ſhew how our Congregations (which is much to be lamented) vvill for the muſt parte of them, come ſhorte of their hoped for reward, for Sabbath keeping: & that the reſidue, doe but dally, if not mocke vvith God: this cogitation, doth preſent it ſelfe to me, when I think of the publike prayers of the Church: for there the Mimiſter in the name of God with loude & audible voice, a mongſt other of Gods 10 Com. pronounceth theſe words, being the 4th com. Remember the Sabbathday, to keepe it holy. Sixe dayes ſhalt thou labour, & doe all thy worke. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it, thou ſhalt not doe any worke, thou, nor thy ſone, nor thy daughter nor thy man ſeruant, nor thy maide ſeruant, nor thy eattell, nor thy ſtranger, that is with in thy gates. For in ſixe dayes the Lord made heauen & earth, the ſea, & all that in them is, & reſted the 7th day: wherefore the Lord bleſsed the Sabbath day, & hollowedit. Now preſently, thes words being vttered by the Miniſter, the wholl Congregation confirmeth them, by this deuour & godly prayer, vntounto Almightie God ſaying, Lord hauehave mercy vponupon vsus, & incline our hartes to keepe this Law. The charg of the Miniſter ſtanding in Gods roome, & the Ecchoing voice of the people, by there prayers, as an anſwer confirming, putteth in my minde, to thinke what a lamentable Dialogue would be betvvixt Almightie God, & vsus, if he ſhould call vsus to an accounte, for the breach of his 4th Com. for, albeit we dravv nigh to God, in the Congregation, vvith our lippes, ſaying Amen to all Gods preceptes; yet in our liues is no ſuch matter: and becauſe we all, one day, muſt come to this accompt; it ſhall not be amiſſe, to hauehave the ſtate of it preſented before our eyes here; that ſo if we cannot acquite our ſelues, we may know it in time, vvhilſt there is ſpace for repentance.
Suppoſe we therfore, Almightie God examining vsus; & vve againe anſwering for our ſelues, thus. Queſtion. 1. HaueHave you remembred my Sabbath day as I commanded you by my Miniſter in the Congregation, & vntounto which you did ſubſcrib & aſſent by your prayer? Anſwer, no Lord, we hauehave in deede forgotten that day, but vve hauehave bene mindfull of the day after it, to wit the Lords day. Queſtion, 2. But hauehave you Sanctified my Sabbath day, as I commanded you? Anſwer, no Lord, vve hauehave (vve muſt confeſſe it) profaned that very day, but vve hauehave ſanctified the Lords day, which is but the day after it. Queſt. 3. But as for the 7th day: vvhere as I certified you, that the 7th day, is the Sabbath day, Exod. 2….8. & charged you, that in it thou ſhould eſt doe no manner of worke, &c. hauehave you novv refrained your laboures, & reſted from worke, on this 7th day? Anſw. no Lord, vve confeſſe indeed, that how euer vve hauehave done our vvorkes on this 7th day, yet hauehave vve reſted from our vvorkes on the 8th. day Queſt. 4. wheras I ſanctified & hallowed the 7th day, & alſo ſet you myne ovvne preſident for your example, in aſmuch as I Reſted on the 7th day, & moued you by a reaſon drawne from myne owne example, which I annexed to my 4th Com. hauehave you novv imitated myne example; and regarded my reaſon vvher by I perſvvaded you? Anſvv. no Lord, vve hauehave neglected thy example, & thy reaſon: But vve hauehave imitated Chriſt & his Apoſtles, in preaching and hearing of ſermones & the like, on a day, vvhereof vve reade not that euer thou dideſt Sanctify it, namely on the firſt day of the vveeke, vvhichwhich thou dideſt command for labour. Novv thinke of this matter good brethren in time, leaſt you leeſe your hoped for revvard, of keeping the Lords Sabbathes: for vvill this anſvver goe for current thinke you, before God, at that day of Rekoning?
But this anſwer is too right downe for ſome; for theſe hauehave ingenuouſly confeſſed the trueth: wherfore vve muſt lay downe an other anſwer for them, for they like Saul, vvho contrary to Gods Commandement, ſpared Agag & the beſt of the Sheepe, &c. yet ſaid, I hauehave obeied the voice of the Lord, 1 Sam. 15.20. ſo theſe ſtand to iuſtifie it & defend it, that they doe obey the voice of God, according to his 4th Com. well let theſe be tryed, ſaieth the Almightie, Queſt. 1. HaueHave you Remembred my Sabbath day? Anſwer, yis Lord, for as for that day, we neuer thought of it; but we remembred the Lords day, the day after. Queſt. 2. And hauehave you ſanctified my Sabbath day, as I commammanded you? Anſvv: yis Lord, for vve profaned it vvith ſeruile laboures, but vve hauehave ſanctified the Lords day. Queſt. 3. And hauehave your reſted on the 7th day; for, the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lard, &c. Exod. 20.10. Anſvv. yis Lord, we hauehave laboured on the 7th day, & hauehave reſted on the 8th day. Queſt. 4. But the 7th day, is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, Exod. 20.10. hauehave you novv kept the Sabbath of the Lord your God? Anſvver: yis Lord, vve hauehave profaned it, but we hauehave kept the Sabbath of the Lord Chriſt. Queſt. 5. hauehave you kept the 7th day Sabbath, in imitation of mee, the day which I ſet you for a patterne, the day ſolemnized in remembrence of the Creation? Anſvv: yis Lord, for vve hauehave kept the 8th day, or firſt day of the vveeke, in imitation of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, the day ſolemnized in remembrance of the Redemption. Iudge novv good brethren, if theſe men may not beſaid, to dally & mocke vvith God, in a moſt ſeriouſe & vveightie matter.
Yet further, there are but tvvo eminent places in the Church, vvherin the Miniſter performeth his ſeruice to God; to vvit, the Delike & the Pulpit; & loe, hovv theſe varie & are at iarre? In the Deſke, the Miniſter readeing the 10 Commandemets, ſaith, the people muſt ſanctify the Sabbath day: but the ſame Miniſter, in the ſame Church, & to the ſame people, being but gotten vp in to the Pulpit, ſaith, they muſt ſanctify the Lords day. In the Deſke, hee ſaith, the 7th day, is the Sabbath: but gone, but a farre as the pulpit, & there he ſaith, the 8th day is the Sabbath. Think you, theſe men are not gone from their Text, vvhen they reade one thing, & preach an other? is it meete, that the Deſke & the Pulpit, ſhold be at ſuch oddes?
I confeſſe they hauehave ſome idle diſtinctions, & friuolouſe anſvvers, vvhereby for the preſent they ſtoppe vp the month of conſcience, and blind the eyes of the ſimple, but let them try, if they cane by the ſame anſwers & diſtinctions, bleare the eyes of Almightie God, at that day: In the dayes of blindneſſe & popery before Luther brought light vntounto the ſecond com. I verily beleeue it, that Popiſh Prieſts, had not more, nor more groſſe anſvvers, diſtinctions, & obiections, to maintaine their Idolatry and Image worſhiping, againſt the ſecond Comm. then now a dayes our Miniſters hauehave, to mainteiue their ſyne of Sabbath-breaking, againſt the 4th Com. but what ſhould I ſay? I vviſh I knew, how elſe to informe Gods people of his will; & how they & I might ſanctify Gods Sabbaths, in priuate, with out the publike aſſemblies of the Church, & helpes of a Miniſter, & diſturbance of the Church; as we may & cane yeeld obedience to any & eueryevery of the other 9 com. ſingly & alone eueryevery man by himſelfe, with out the helpe & company of others; & although they would not ioyne with vsus; could I, I ſay, hauehave deuiſed this, it ſhold well hauehave bene ſeene, that I would neuer hauehave blotted paper to informe, or contended with theſe cuning Sophiſters, who by their wittes, ſuch as they are, will make any thing good they pleaſe to vndertake; they ſhould for me hauehave goneon, till they had mett with the reward of their dawbing & doubling. For as I ſuſpected them, ſo I find them, like Moab, Ierem. 48.11. ſetled on their lees: & like the men in Ieruſalem, Zephan. 1.12. frozen in their dreges.
The ſecond thing I purpoſe to mention, for the further appearance of the abuſe of this Comm. here follovveth: wheras words & argumentes, vvill hardly auaile, I purpoſe in the laſt place to try, if ſenſe will be informed; for which purpoſe, I will giuegive you an occular demonſtratiō, ſo as the ſenſe of ſeing ſhall be conuinced of the abuſe of this Com. That this may be, I will ſet heere before your eyes, the whole 4th com. intirly, as God wrote it in the Tables of ſtone: furthermore, as for theſe things, vvhichwhich ſo many Miniſters ſay, are ceremoniouſe & aboliſhed in this Com. thoſe things I will compaſſe about with a parentheſis, or two halfe moone circles, that ſo you may ſe, which partes of the Com. they hold for Morall, & which for ceremoniall: behould it thus: Remember (the Sabbath day) to keepe (it) Holy. Sixe dayes ſhalt then labour, & doe all thy worke: But (the Scauenth day, is the Sabbath) of the Lord thy God (in it) thou ſhalt not doe any worke, thou, nor thy ſone, nor they daughter, thy man ſeruant, nor thy maide, nor thy beaſt, nor thy ſtranger that is with in thy gates: for in ſix dayes, the Lord made heauen & carth, the ſea, & all that in them is, and (reſted the 7th day) Therfore, the Lord bleſſed (the Sabbath day) & hallowed (it.) Loe, which partes of this 4th Com. they make Ceremoniall & aboliſhed; to wit, all thoſe wordes, which are incloſed vvith in the parentheſis: for the vvord (day) this they aboliſh for a ceremony by theſe Textes, Rom. 14.5. Gal. 4.10. & for the vvord (Sabbath) that they hould for an aboliſhed ceremony, by theſe Textes, Col. 2.16.17. Exod. 31.13. and for theſe words, (theſe 7th day, is the Sabbath) this is that vvhichwhich of all other partes of the commandement: they abhorre, as a Ievviſh ceremony; ſo much for the commandement: come we next vntounto the reaſon of the com. noted by the vvord for; vvhichwhich conteineth a moſt effectuall perſvvaſion from Gods ovvne example: & herin theſe vvords (reſted the 7th day) doe ſtand for a Cipher; no Miniſter at any tyme in theſe our dayes, vſeing thes vvords, as a reaſon to moue and excite vsus, to reſt on the 7th, or 8th day, becauſe God reſted at that time: ſecondly, theſe vvords (the Sabbath day) doe ſtand for a Cipher alſo; for no Miniſter doth perſwade vsus in theſe dayes, to ſanctify the Sabbath day, becauſe God ſanctified the Sabbath day, to vvit, the Saturday Sabbath: for it is the Saturday vvhichwhich God hallovved & ſanctified at the Creation.
Novv caſt thine eye backe good Reader, & ſee the com. behold vvhat they allow of it to be morall, and hovv much of it they will needs hauehave to be ceremoniall, & like a cipher; did thine eyes euer before behold, ſuch a mingle mangle, ſuch a hotch potch: the 4th com. is by theſe Interpreters become, halfe fiſh, halfe fleſh; A Lynſey wolſey; A morrall Ceremoniall Commandement; partly laſting, partly faded. There be many Statute Lavves in this Kingdome, & tis ſaid, many Lavvyers vvill doe much for money; but can ſuch an inſtance as this be ſhowne, vvhere the Lavvyers, hauehave by their expoſitions & pleadings, ſo mangled any of the Kings Lawes, as hauehave our diuine Lawyers, who in this caſe, hauehave taken away the key of knowledge? Luk. 11.52? How can a mans eyes but abhorre to looke vponupon, & behold any vvriting, thus interlaced with parentheſſeſe, many hundreth of yeeres after it was written? but how ſhould a Chriſtian looke vponupon any of Gods ten commandemēts, vvith any patience, to ſee them or any of them thus mangled & defaced? vvas God ſo mindfull, to place all the morales by themſelues, in the Tables of ſtone, & to exclud the Ceremonials, and vvright them elſewhere, as vnſit to be matched vvith the laſting Morals, and are there novv ſo many Ceremoniall words crept into this Morall law? We reade in 2. S…m. 10.4. how King Hanun tooke Dauids ſeruants, and ſhaued off the halfe of their beards, and cutt off their garments in the midle, euen to their buttocks, and ſent them away; me thinke theſe men, could not looke more ill fauouredly & diſguiſedly, then doth this 4th com. Now it is thus barbared and notched, by our late barbers: If I would hauehave a thing vgly done indeed, theſe men ſhall doe it for me.
Furthermore, the indignity offred vntounto this com. is ſuch, as it is not now onelyonly ſhamefull to looke vponupon; but alſo it is by their corrupt expoſition, made very non-ſenſe & ridiculouſe; to this purpoſe, let vsus collect together ſo much of this comm. as they allovv to be memorall, and omit that vvhichwhich they make ceremoniall, that is, ſo much as is put within the halfe moone circles, & ſee what a peece of ſenſeleſſe ſtufe there will be: and this then it is; Remember to keepe holy. Sixe dayes ſhalt thou labour, & doe all thy worke: But, of the Lord thy God, thou ſhalt not doe any worke, thou, nor thy ſonne, nor thy daughter &c. ſee if by their diſtinctions & ſubtilties, they hauehave not picked out the heart, and ſenſe of this com. by picking out the time. Thus for the comm. but further, for the reaſon which God hath annexed to his com. taken from his reſting on the 7th day; and, from his ſanctifying and hallowing of the 7th day: this reaſon I ſay, hath not onelyonly ſome vvords pickt out of it, as had the com. but vvhichwhich is more, the vvholl reaſon it ſelfe, as God laid it dovvne, & vvrote it in Tables of ſtone, is vtterly by them aboliſhed & vſeleſſe; no mention of it in theſe our dayes, thereby to excite & perſvvad people to the obedience of the 4th com. Wherefore, by your eye ſight, you may behold the abuſe of this comm. and by your obſeruation, you may take notice, how the reaſon to the com. is nullified; two remarkable things to be obſerued.
The conſideration of theſe things (me thinke) ſhould plead ſtrongly againſt all the enemies to the Lords Sabbaths, that ſo all their reaſons they bring againſt them, ſhould be ſuſpected & reiected; becauſe by their aboliſhing his Sabbaths, they muſt needes make ſuch hauocke of Gods 4th com. as you ſee: Their textes of Scripture alſo Col. 2.16.17. and Exod. 31.13. with the reſt, are to be ſuſpected as corrupted & groſly abuſed by them, ſeeing that they vvill ſo vrge & preſſe them, againſt the 7th day Sabbath in the 4th com. as that by one text of Scripture, they will mangle another; & ſo vnderſtand one text of Scripture, as it ſhall eate out the very bowels of an other; ſo ſetting Scripture againſt Scripture; the text Col. 2.16. ſhall eat out the bowels of the 4th com. yea this text Col. 2.16. with other the like, & certain reaſons they hauehave, ſhall picke out the very heart & ſenſe of the 4th com. & make it ſenſeleſſe, as you ſee: of like nature are all their diſtinctions, & therefore worthily to be abhorred, of all ſuch as louelove Gods lawes: God will vndoubtedly one day, accurſe all ſuch diſtinctions, & expoſitions of any text of Scripture, as are made in oppoſition to his Lawes: is there no way to expound the Goſpell, but ſo as it muſt needs quite ouerturne the law, or ſome part of it? and is it meete to receiue ſuch vnneceſſary diſtinctions, as ſhall rend out, & raſe out ſome portion of Gods law, the Decalogue or 10 Com. I meane?
But it may be obiected, that vve doe not make ſuch hauocke with the 4th com. nor make it ſo voide & ſenſeleſſe, but that we doe ſtill retaine it, & doe preſſe it vponupon mens conſciences, vvell nigh eueryevery ſermon &c. True indeed, you vrge the 4th com. but how abſurdly, let all men iudge; like as if a man ſhould cancell a bond, & plucke off the ſeales, & yet ſtifly plead his bond ſtill; ſo theſe, after by their doctrine they hauehave made the comman. a peece of ſenſeleſe & ridiculouſe ſtuffe; yet ſtill they call and cry out the 4th com. the 4th com. yee tranſgreſſe Gods 4th com. Furthermore, the reaſon annexed to it by God, as moſt effectuall to perſwade men to obedience of this com. taken from Gods enſample, this you altogether omit & neglect: For, when are you heard to perſwade the people thus? Let vsus reſt from our workes on the Lords day, becauſe God reſted on the 7th day, Gen. 2.2. Exod. 20.11? Let vsus ſanctifie the Lords day, becauſe God ſanctified & hallowed the 7th day, Gen. 2.3. Exod. 20.11? Let vsus be imitators & followers of God, as deere children, and keepe that day vveekly for an holy day, vvhichwhich God himſelfe made & kept an holy day, at the Creation? No, no ſuch matter, for ſo they ſhould contradict themſelues: If they ſhould perſvvad men to follovv Gods example, ſo the myſterie of their iniquity, vvould be diſcouered: for God kept the 7th day, from the creation; but our Lords day, is the 8th day from the creation: & the day vvhichwhich God kept, vvas kept in memory of the Creation; but our Lords day, is kept in memory of the Redemption: thus as the com. is nullified, ſo the reaſon to the com. is made a meere ſuperfluouſe cipher, & altogether vſeleſſe, let them ſay what they vvill to the contrary.
As for the law it ſelfe, you vrge it indeed vponupon mens conſciences, but vvith ſmall conſcience you vrge it; for you abuſe & prefane Gods word (as hath bene ſhowne) by applying that to the Lords day, which is a common vvorking day, as fryday is; vvhichwhich ſhould be applied by Gods ordinance, to an holy day, vvhichwhich himſelfe had hallovved, as to the 7th day; as well might you profanely apply thoſe Sacramentall vvords of inſtitution, to common bread, & to common water, as Gods 4th comm. to a common day, not ſanctified by God. And thus much for Expoſition of the 4th Commandement.
THus I hauehave endeavoured to make it appeare, hovv they hauehave corrupted & abuſed the lavv, and thereby corrupted & abuſed the people alſo: What remaineth, but that they may be driuen to repentance, I minde them of that fearefull denuntiation, vttered by our Sauiour Chriſt, after that he had ratified the law, in the integrity & perfection of partes, euen to a iot & title of it, Mat. 5.18. Whereto he addeth theſe words, Whoſoeuer therfore ſhall breake one of theſe leaſt Commandements, & teach men ſo, he ſhall be called the leaſt in the Kingdome of heauen: but whoſoeuer ſhall obſerue, & teach them, the ſame ſhall be called great in the Kingdome of heauen, Matth. 5.19. In which words, our bleſſed Sauiour, doth perſwade, to the keeping of the Morall Lavv, in eueryevery iote & title of it, vntounto the worlds end: Further, our Sauiour ſheweth wherein, or in what manner, he would hauehave eueryevery iot & title of the Law kept; and this is two wayes, the one by doctrine, noted in theſe words, and teach men ſo: The other by practiſe, noted in theſe words, Whoſoeuer ſhall obſerue &c. whereby wee ſee, it was the minde of Chriſt, to hauehave eueryevery title of the lavv, not onelyonly obſerued & practiſed; but alſo, he would hauehave eueryevery title of it, taught vntounto the people, & vrged & preſſed vponupon them: and on the other ſide, becauſe the bare doctrine of the Miniſter, is forceleſſe it. many men, vvithout his practiſe; leaſt they ſhould ſay, he layeth heauy burthens, vponupon other men, but himſelfe vvill not touch them, vvith one of his fingers, therefore Chriſt ioyneth practiſe to doctrine, ſaying, Whoſoeuer ſhall obſerue & teach &c.
Furthermore, vve are in ſpeciall manner to note, vntounto what manner of perſones theſe words are directed, not vntounto lay men as they call them, but vntounto the Clergie, vntounto Miniſters in ſpeciall; as vve may vnderſtand by the vvords teach men ſo: ſo then, this portion of Scripture, it is directed vntounto the Miniſtry; & the vvill of Chriſt to them is, that they ſhall both teach to the people, and alſo practiſe before them, vntounto the worlds end, eueryevery iot and title of the Law.
Now in the next place, we hauehave Chriſt his arguments, to moue & perſwade Miniſters, to theſe tvvo dueties; and becauſe Miniſters are of tvvo ſortes; ſome, though but a ſmale ſome, vvill teach and practiſe, eueryevery iot & title of the Lavv, to the vtmoſt of theire povver; but others, vvill neither teach nor practiſe the ſame; therefore hath Chriſt fitted his Arguments, to both ſorts; & by name, to ſuch Miniſters as doe both teach & practiſe; to them our Sauiour promiſeth this bleſſing, that, they ſhall be called greate in the Kingdome of heauen: oh that there vvere yet many more, that would couet this greateneſſe in Gods fauour, by teaching & reuealing the whole counſaile of God, euen all his Ten commandements, intirly, in eueryevery iot title of them? But now as for thoſe other Miniſters, vvho refuſe either to teach, or to practiſe, this Lavv of God intirly: to theſe, our Sauiour threateneth a Curſſe, to vvite, that theſe ſhall be called leaſt in the Kingdome of heauen: novv vvheras our Sauiour denounceth this curſſe, vntounto them, vvhichwhich breake one of the leaſt of theſe commandements: ſuppoſe vve the Time commanded in the 4th com. vvhere the very leaſt of the commandements becauſe they vſe to cale it, but a circumſtance, and the like; vvhy yet for all that, ſo long as it is a commandement, though the leaſt of all the commandements, yet Chriſt denounceth this Curſſe vntounto ſuch Miniſters, as refuſe to teach the people this leaſt com. and refuſe to practiſe it before the people: they hauehave pleaſed to miſcale it a ceremony, & Iudaiſme & the like; but let them try if this vvill free them before Chriſt his Iudgment ſeate, from this Curſſe of Chriſt, vvhichwhich he denounced being on earth. I beleeue all theyre ſubtilties & ſhiftes, vvherby they blind the eyes of men here, vvill hardly ſo blind the eyes of Chriſt then: hee vvill hauehave an account of his vvholl Lavv, not of peeces and percels of it, as vve pleaſe.
Thus vve ſe vvhat the duety of Miniſters is, namely to teach the people, to obſerue the Lords ſeauenth day Sabbath, which is one of the commandements, though you make it the leaſt: and it is their duetie alſo, if they vvill be freed of Chriſt his Curſſe, to obſerue & keepe the 7th day Sabbath, before the people; ſo leading them by liefe & doctrine together: but hovv ſarre off, is the practiſe of moſt Teachers from obſeruing the minde & vvill of Chriſt? in ſteade of practiſing the 7th day Sabbath in their ovvne perſones, for example vntounto others; they could be content to perſecute any, that they ſe forward this way; oh fearfull! In ſtead of teaching the people this, vvhichwhich they count the leaſt of Gods commandements, & vrging them to keepe, eueryevery iote and title of Gods Lavv, & ſo the Lords Sabbath day; they teach openly & publikly the quite contrary; as namely, that this leaſt of Gods commandements, it is aboliſhed, and that the Sabbath day, commanded, it is aboliſhed; thus this leaſt of Gods commandements is trampled downe, becauſe it is a little one, & a ceremoniall one, & a circumſtantiall one; & not the Law of Nations, nor found novv in the hartes off all men falne & corrupted, as a Law of Nature; and becauſe commanded to the Iew, and the like: but vvhat ſoeuer be their ſhiftes, ſuer Iam the Sabbath day, is not leſſe then one of the iotes and titles of Gods Law; nor is it leſſe then the leaſt of Gods commandements; wherefore, vvho ſoeuer teacheth in oppoſition to this Sabbath day, he bevvraieth himſelfe to be no frend of Chriſts, and that he regardeth not his mind and vvill, in teaching and obſeruing all & eueryevery of the Commandemets: nay he proclaimeth him ſelfe in open pulpit, to be a profeſſed enemy to Chriſt our Sauiour and theſe his vvordes, Mat. 5.18.19. and to the integrity & vvholneſſe as I may call it of Gods Lavv; he had rather hauehave it lamed & percelled out, that ſo he might ſerue God by halues, and by peece meale, then to hauehave an indifferent reſpect vvith Dauid, vntounto all Gods Commandements, Pſal. 119.6. & rather then he vvould hauehave Gods Lavv intire & compleate, in the perfection of partes, vntounto a iote and title.
Is not it true of ſuch Miniſters werewith the Lord charged thoſe corrupt Prieſts, Mal. 2.9. to vvit, that they were partiall in the Law? & are not theſe alſo in our time partiall in Gods Law, when not with ſtanding vvhat Chriſt hath ſaid, for the integrity of the Lavv, yet theſe men wil reiect a parte of it, and ſo become like thoſe Prieſts, partiall in Gods Lavv? for a parte of Gods Lavv they vvill hauehave; an other parte they vvill none of: the dueties of reſt and holineſſe in the 4th com. this parte of the 4th com. they vvill hauehave, but the other duetie of the Time, this parte of the ſame 4th com: they vvill none of. Were theſe Miniſters of the lovver ranke for zeale, & of the Number of thoſe vvhichwhich are not accounted ſo zelouſe of Gods Lavves, it vvere the leſſe to be vvondred at; but being puritant Miniſters, and ſuch as vvould be diſpleaſed at him, vvho ſhould ſay to them, they had not an indifferent reſpect vntounto all Gods commandements vvith out exceptions; that theſe I ſay ſhould picke and chooſe, take & leaue; & become like thoſe profane Prieſts, partiall in Gods Law, it is to be maruailed at; Miſtake me not good Reader, it is not purity that I miſlike in puritanes; for of all men I honour no men more, then ſuch as are, & endeauour to be, of pure harte & holy liefe: but this I hate in them; to ſe their practiſe belye their doctrine & profeſſiō: for they teach daily for vniverſall obediēce to all Gods com. without exceptions & reſernations; but Loe they are found here halting: one of the leaſt (as they ſay) of Gods Commandements, ratified by our Sauiour, they neglect and contemne.
Others there be of the ſame ranke, which be not ſo impudent as the former, they preach & teach not againſt the Lords Sabbaths, & therefore are not guilty of the Curſſe of Chriſt, for breaking this leaſt Com. & teaching men ſo: yet are they enemies to this leaſt Comm. for haueing heard of my former booke, which I vvrote in defence of this leaſt Com. and for the Lords Sabbath; yea, and after they hauehave ſeene it, & reade it ouer, they ſpitt fyer at it; & cry out, burne the booke; tis a foule errour, &c. Theſe men like Iames & Iohn, not knovving of vvhat Spirit they are, vvould hauehave fyer come downe preſently; & although they know not, either how to proue their Lords day to be a Sabbath day; nor yet hovv to diſproue the Lords Sabbath day; or to confute the booke, yet they can cry, burne the booke, tis a foule errour, &c. Thus theſe are ſo farre from teaching this leaſt com. to the people; as that they vſe all their diligence, to ſcare & afright ſimple people, vvith greate vvords; that ſo they might ſtill remaine caught in theire ſnares, & in blind ignorance: if the Lawes of this Realme, vvere fitted to theſe mens minds, it ſhould be vvoe to him that toucheth this Lords day Sabbath, the Diana of our time; but ſeing they doe it out of a good affection, I ſhall vvith Paul make it mine hearts deſire, and prayer to God for them, that they may repent; for I beare them witneſſe, that they hauehave the Zeale of God, but not according to knowledge.
They thinke it much, that they cannot preuaile vvith the rude multitude, for the keeping Holy of the Lords day Sabbath, but that, ſay they vvhat they can, yet they will reuell, riote & profane it: vvell the caſe is novv become their ovvne; it ſhall be ſeene, whither all that I hauehave ſaid, can preuaile vvith them, for the ſanctifying of the Lords Sabbaths on the 7th day: ſuer I am I hauehave ſaid, & ſhall ſay much more, & more ſoundly, for the 7th day Sabbath, to moue them to keepe it; then euer they did, or could ſay, to profane perſones, for the keeping of the 8th day Sabbath: if therfore, ſyniſter affections, preuaile ſo vvith them, that they vvill not liften to mee, no more then their profane hearers will to them; let them tell me then, what is the difference betvvixt them ſelues, and their profane auditours.
An other ſorte there are, who are diſobedient to Chriſts will, by deniall of the integrity, wholneſſe, & perfection of Gods law; in as much as they doe not onelyonly refuſe to teach the people, this leaſt of Gods commandements, namely, which is the proper day & time of Gods worſhip & ſeruice; but if they finde, that by the paines of any others, more faithfull in this point then themſelues, any of their flocke are taught & inſtructed in this way of the Lord more perfectly, that they begin to ſee a further light into this Law of God, then they were wont; preſently they be labour it, to extinguiſh this light in them: to theſe, I may fitly apply that word of the Lord, Ierem. 23.30. Therefore behold, I will come againſt the Prophets, ſaith the Lord, that ſteale my word, eueryevery one from his neighbour. Theſe then, be ſacrilegiouſe theeues, who will not ſow the ſeed of Gods word, in the hearts of their people, but vvill watch vvhen it is ſowne, that they may come & ſteale it away againe.
I truſt Gods Miniſters, will bridle corrupt nature, and giuegive me leaue to lay the plaiſter, where the ſore is; knowing it is their office, to doe the like to others dayly; they vvho teach others to take a reproofe, are not to learne in this point.
Let me ſpeake one vvord novv, to all theſe 3 ſortes of Miniſters together: vvhy are yee, you Tribe of Leuie, ſuch enemies to the integrity, wholneſſe, & perfection of the Lavv of your God? deliuered vvith ſuch maieſtie and terrour, vponupon Mount Sinai Exod. 20? Why oppoſe you your ſelues alſo, againſt thoſe iotes & titles of this lavv, ratified by our Lord Chriſt, vntounto eternity, in his ſermon on the Mount Mat. 5.1.8? Why doe you not according to his vvill & mind, teach the people, this leaſt commandement, touching the proper time of his worſhip and ſeruice? Nay, why are you ſo vnlike your ſelues? For it is a rule approued in expounding of the Scriptures, that things are to be taken in the largeſt ſenſe, if nothing hinder. Now why then in expounding of this 4th com. doe you abridge it, excluding the proper time thereof, as if nothing but the dueties of reſt and holineſſe, belonged vntounto vsus? Whereas you ought to expound it more largly, as including both the time of the 7th day, & the dueties of reſt & holineſſe alſo? ſince there is nothing that you can iuſtly ſay againſt the time. Againe, it is another rule in expouding of Scripture, & in ſpeciall of the Morall law; that vnderunder one thing expreſly commanded or forbidden, are comprehended all of that kind, with the leaſt cauſe or occaſion thereof: See here how they enlarge the lavv, to be vnderſtood, not onelyonly of the things there by name mentioned, but alſo, of things not mentioned, as of the cauſes & occaſions: and yet the ſame men, being to expound the 4th com. are ſo farre off, from enlarging it, as they will miſerablie curtaile it, and clippe it, and pare it, vntill they hauehave quite pared away, the 7th day Sabbath: Why are you ſo inconſtant, & ſo vnlike your ſelues? is it a rule with you, that things not mentioned in the Comm. are to be brought in, that ſo the Com. may hauehave the largeſt ſcope & compaſſe; and will you exclude and thruſt out, things by name, mentioned in the Com. as the 7th day Sabbath?
Againe, when we are to deale againſt Papiſts, then we are very zealouſe for the integrity & perfection of the law: witneſſe M. Perkins in his firſt Volume pag. 400. where he proueth that a Papiſt cannot goe beyond a Reprobate; becauſe they make the whole law vaine: and this he affirmeth in theſe words, If one frustrate but any one point, of any one commandement, the whole law thereby is made in vaine. Cannot a Papiſt goe beyond a Reprobate, if he fruſtrate any one point, of any one commandement? & can a Proteſtant goe beyond a Reprobate, when he doeth fruſtrate ſome one point, in ſome one commandement? as we doe in the 4th comm.? Muſt the law ſtand, in eueryevery point, of eueryevery commandement, vvhen we hauehave to doe vvith our Aduerſaries abroade, & is the caſe altered, when we be among our ſelues at home?
It is made a marke of ſincerity, and of the trueth of grace, vvhen a man hath reſpect, vntounto all Gods commandements, without exception of any: But come vponupon the matter with them, & then they that deliuer this marke to others, can ſcarcely finde it in themſelues: For, albeit they ſeeme by this marke, to iuſtify the law, in the integrity and perfection of it; yet aske them what they thinke of Gods 7th day Sabbath, commanded in the 4th com. and this they will baulke and except, vnderunder one pretenſe or other, by miſcalling it Iewiſh, Ceremoniall, and by ſaying falſely that it is aboliſhed: and is this the reſpect they hauehave vntounto all Gods commandements?
It is a rule alſo, that the law it is wholly copulatiue; that is, the things therein commanded, are firmly combined & knit together, ſo as not any one thing can be ſeuered from the law: and thus farre they maintaine the law, in its perfection & integrity; but how then cometh it about, that novv you hauehave made ſuch a hiatus, ſuch a gape in this lavv? one of the Linkes of this chaine is broken, the commanded time of 7th day, in the 4th com. is taken out, and ſeuered from all the reſt: ſo novv this copulation is vncoupled, and the lavv is not wholly copulatiue, it is but partially copulatiue.
Behold how the enēmies to the Lords Sabbaths, & to the integrity & perfection of the Lavv of God ſay, and vnſay it againe: abroad vvith our aduerſaries, tis a point of reprobation, to fruſtrate but any one point, of any one commandement: at home, tis a point of Iudaiſme, to maintaine & defend them all. What ſhould I ſay more? iuſtly may the Lord lament ouer England, as once he did ouer Ieruſalem, ſaying, O my people, they that leade thee, cauſe thee to erre, Iſa. 3.12.