A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 2 · Commentary · Section 9
SECT. IX.
I come novv to the 3d thing conſiderable in the reaſon to the 4th com. mentioned in theſe vvords, For, in ſixe dayes the Lord made heauen & earth, the ſea, & all that in them is, & reſted the 7th day: Therefore the Lord bleſſed the Sabbath day, & hallowed it. Theſe words ſixe dayes, you hauehave them tvviſe mentioned in this 4th com. the firſt time they are mentioned, is in Exod. 20.9. and there they are to be conſidered as a commandement: for they are deliuered in commanding termes. The ſecond time, you hauehave them mentioned, is in Exod. 20.11. and here they are to be conſidered as a reaſon: and ſo much is manifeſt by the rationall particle (for) prefixed as you ſee. Wherefore novv vve are to conſider of theſe vvords, as they are a reaſon vrged by God, to induce vsus to the Sanctifying of his Saturday, 7th day, Sabbath, commanded in this 4th comm. & the reaſon is to be applied to the com. on this manner. 1. On the 7th day thou ſhalt reſt from thy labours; becauſe I the Lord thy God at the Creation, reſted from my worke on the ſame day, or on the 7th day. 2. On the ſixe dayes thou ſhalt labour & finiſh all thy workes, ſo as nothing be left to be done on the 7th day: becauſe on the ſix dayes, I the Lord thy God did worke, & finiſh all, leauing nothing to be done on the 7th or Sabbath day. Thus ſtands the reaſon, in relation to the com. as I conceiue it: as in the former part of the 4th comm. God preſſeth vsus to the obſeruation of the Saturday Sabbath, by virtue of the 4th com. in commanding termes, ſaying, Remember the Sabbath day, to ſanctify it, ſo in the latter part thereof, God preſſeth vsus to the obſeruation of the ſame day, by his owne example: ſo then, if either precept, or preſident will auaile with vsus; if either an imperiouſe commandement, or a ſweete & gentle reaſon will auaile any thing with vsus, then vve muſt keepe Gods Saturday Sabbath: and ſuch with whom neither Gods commandement, no nor yet his patterne & example propoſed for vsus to follow, will preuaile, they ſhew themſelues not children of God, but rebelles to God.
God is pleaſed many times, in Scripture, to propound himſelfe for our patterne, as 1. Pet. 1.15. As he which hath called you, is holy, ſo be ye holy, &c. Our Sauiour Chriſt exhorteth vsus, to doe good to thoſe which harme vsus, that ſo we may be the children of our heauenly father &c. & then he concludeth thus, you ſhall therefore be perfect, as your father which is in heauen, is perfect, Matth. 5.48. and ſo in this 4th com. God hath ſet forth himſelfe for our patterne, ſaying, Remember the Sabbath day, to ſanctify it; for I the Lord ſanctified it: on the 7th day, thou ſhalt reſt; for, on the 7th day, I the Lord reſted: if therefore you will be led by reaſons, as reaſonable men ſhold, then let Gods reaſon take place with you; or if you vvill be led by examples, let Gods example be of force vvith you, to keepe his Saturday Sabbath: Wherefore laying aſide Gods commandement, I now vrge onelyonly Gods reaſon vponupon you; and Gods example vponupon you; exhorting you in the vvords of the Apoſtle, Be yee therefore followers of God, as deere children, Eph. 5.1. Hee kept the Sabbath day, doe you ſo too. But if yet you ſhall enquire which is the day? I anſvver, ſee but vvhichwhich day of the vveeke it vvas, on vvhichwhich God reſted at the Creation, Geneſ. 2.2.3. & that is the day vvhichwhich God perſvvadeth vsus to keepe: elſe it vvere impertinent, for God to perſvvade vsus to keepe the 8th or 9th day, becauſe he kept the 7th day. The premiſſes & the concluſion, muſt be vnderſtood of the ſame thing, as Logiceans know well; the 7th day, therefore is the day, to vvit, the 7th day from the creation, vvhichwhich is Saturday; for on this day God reſted, and to this day God perſvvaded vsus.
The vſe of this point is for the iuſt reproofe of our times, vvith vvhom neither precept, nor preſident vvill preuaile; for, neither Gods commandement, nor Gods example, can doe any thing now a dayes, no nor yet Gods reaſons can moue any whit; if any of theſe 3, or if all of them together, would take place with vsus, behold, vve hauehave them all in this 4th com. For 1. God commanded the Sabbath day. 2. God kept it himſelfe. 3. He allureth vsus by a ſtrong reaſon, taken from his enſample, & noted by the particle for. How could a point be more thorowly preſſed? of all ſortes of people, vvhichwhich come vnderunder this reproofe, I find none more guilty, then ſome of the Clergie; for as for the Laity, though they be guilty hereof, yet a little matter would ſoone reclaime them, but as for theſe of the Clergie, they are intoxicated, and euen drunken with reaſon & Sophiſtry; for Gods reaſon, which he vſeth here in this com. to allure men to keepe his Sabbaths, it is vvith them as no reaſon; for, either they will make this reaſon, no parte of Gods comman. or but as ſome needleſſe appendix vntounto it; or let it ſtand ſtill for a cipher, as no reaſon at all; & ſo they make a ſhevv to imbrace Gods 4th com. but not his reaſon which hee added to the ſame cōmandement; it is the property of an vnreaſonable man, to reiect Gods reaſons. Or elſe, by their ſubtill vſe of reaſon, they can toſſe it, as a man doth a Tennis bale, from one day, vntounto another, as if the reaſon muſt runne thus; Therefore God bleſſed & ſanctified the 7th day, becauſe vve ſhould keepe the 8th day: therefore God hallowed the Sabbath day, becauſe we ſhould ſanctifie the Lords day. As abſurd as it is, for the concluſion to be vnderſtood of one day, & the premiſſes of an other, yet can they put ſome culler or other on it, whereby the ſimple, yea & themſelues too, are deceiued: and this deceipt is the more dangerouſe, in that it is cullered ouer vvith a ſhevv of learning; common people verily beleeue, that becauſe they are ſo learned & conſcionable, therefore they vſe their learning & conſcience in eueryevery matter they medle withall; I wiſh it were ſo; Oh that Lot, Dauid, and Peter had alwayes vſed that knowledge & conſcience, that was in them?
Were it the common people that violated Gods Sabbathes, vve could ſoone check them with the 4th com. & with the example, & reaſon of Almightie God, to the contrary: but novv ſince it is the ſyne of Miniſters, no bonds, nor reaſons of God, can hould them; for they hauehave fond out ſo many diſtinctions, & anſwers, & obiectiones, as they can both violate & profane the Sabbath day; & yet againe make God & man beleeue, that they keepe the Sabbath day; as you ſee none cale more for it then they, witneſſe their Sermons; ſo theſe can profane Gods Sabbathes, with a grace; they can doe it, & defend it when they hauehave done; they can doe it & neuer bluſh at it: theſe therfore are in a moſt dangerouſe, & well nigh deſperate caſe, ſmale hope of repentance. This one thing I demand of them, let them put all their lerning, & all their honeſtie together, & try, if by them both, they can tell hovv to apply this example & reaſon, which God addeth here to this 7th day Sabbath, vntounto their 8th day, & Lords day Sabbath.
God hath vrged his Sabbaths 1. with a Memorandum prefixed to them, more then to any other thing Commanded. 2. with a Commandement. 3. with his owne example. 4. with a ſtrong reaſon. what may be the reaſon, why theſe Clerkes profeſſing to be Maſters of reaſon & Artes, ſhould not ſee or acknowledge theſe moſt reaſonable things? or ſhould ſo foully miſapply them, as formerly we hauehave ſhovvne they doe? It cannot be the difficulty of the point, for thats eaſy & familiar: nor can it be the ſtrength of Scriptures, againſt the Lords Sabbaths, for the aboliſhing them; for they hauehave none neceſſarily prouing that point: nor can it be the ſtrength of Scriptures for the alteration of the day, for they hauehave none to that purpoſe neither: wherefore it muſt needs follow, that the eyes of their reaſon, are blinded with ſome ſiniſter & by reſpects or other: I will propound ſome, & let their owne hartes iudge whither I hauehave hit the marke or not.
Many looke vponupon the antiquity of the pointe rather then vponupon Gods Commandement; verely beleeuing, the aboliſhing of the 7th day Sabbath, & the erecting of the Lords day Sabbath, cannot poſſible be an errour, it is ſo auncient; as if errour could no be ancient.
Many looke vponupon the vniuerſality of the point, (an other Popiſh argument) verily beleeuing, it cannot poſſibly be an errour, vvhichwhich is ſo vniuerſally receiued, eſpetially many of them being religiouſe & Godly men: as if a Godly man could not erre.
Many looke vponupon the learning, of ſuch as hauehave profeſſed it, (an other Popiſh argument) as if lerned men could not erre. Thus, they that looke aſquint, at thes by reſpectes, when they goe to iudg of the caſe in queſtion, rather then at thoſe 4 maine things euen novv propounded to be conſidered in Gods 4th Com. it is no maruaile they cannot ſee the vvood for Trees.
Many looke before they will reade my booke, or ſcane the point, at the vtter impoſſibility of any reformation; (as if our dayes vvere vvorſe then euer were any before) & therfore they hauehave no mind to vnderſtand it; thus they looke vponupon Gods matters vvith carnall eyes; vvho, in other caſes teach men to doe their duety & leaue the ſucceſſe to God: ſhould all men treade their ſteppes, they would make all ſure againſt any reformation, ſince they vvill receiue no information.
Some are of opinion, that God will vvincke at vsus, as he did at the Patriarks hauing many vviues; ſince it is the practiſe of all Churches, to doe as we doe; & therfore they vvill goe on, regardleſſe of any further knowledge of the point: But ſuch men may liue in adultery at this day, vponupon the ſame growndleſſe opinion, if but many others would conſent & ioyne vvith them in this wicked practiſe, ſo as they might but hauehave this plea, that all men doe ſo, or that all Curches doe ſo. (I would not be thought to ſpeake at rouers, & to gueſſe only in theſe obiections & by reſpectes, at what men may think; for theſe myne eares hauehave heard men make the moſt of theſe obiections which here I propound.)
Many before they vvill open the doore of their vnderſtanding, to this point, firſt caſt in their mindes, vvhat a ſcandale it vvill be to their Miniſtry, vvhat a diſcredit to their perſones, that they hauehave miſledd the people ſo long; & therfore iudge it better to goe on ſtill as they hauehave begunne, they ſhall anſwer all, a ſwell as theire forefathers vvho hauehave done the like: and their people, ſhall get to heauen in this (wrong) vvay, as well as the people of former times did; & therfore they will none of the knowledge of this point: but I ſhould think, people would more relye vponupon their Miniſters honeſtie & fidelity, & credit their Miniſtry more, if they ſaw them ſo farre to neglect themſelues & their credit, as for Gods glorie, & the good of their people, to reueale a trueth to them, though it croſſe what they had formely taught them.
Many thinke, what ſhall I learne? what I that hauehave thaught others? & novv in myne old age? it is better to hould this for an errour, & ſo to reiect all thoughts of it: but I ſhould eſteme that man not worthy to teach others, vvho ſcorneth to learne of others.
Many thinke, if they ſhould giuegive any way to the knovvledge of this point, they ſhould but diſturb the peace of the Church, & vve are novv at a ſwete concord; it is better therfore to be ignorant of it, &c. But by this reaſon, vve might hauehave remained all Papiſts vntounto this day; for had our forefathers, vponupon this grownd reiected Luthers doctrine, had vve not all bene deeply guilty ſtill, of the ſyne & breach of the ſecond Com. & Popiſh Idolatry? yea, & what I pray is this better, then groſſe temporizing, & pleaſing of the times?
Many thinke, poſſibly it may come to paſſe, that the profeſſion of this point, may coſt them loſſe or hazard of their liuings, wherby they are now comfortable maintained; & therfore it is good, not to be firſt in the knovvledge & profeſſion hereof; they think they may know it ſoone enough 10 or 20 yeeres hence to their coſt, let others breake the yee in the meane time. But theſe men ſet more by a good liuing, then by a good conſcience: they louelove to ſerue God, but it ſhall be no further, then they may ſerue theire owne turnes: they will ſerue God, if they be ſuer once, it will coſt them nothing.
Many thinke, it is not ſafe to be acquainted with this point, leaſt it intangle their conſciences, &c. But thes men, vvhilſt they ſeeme to be of tender conſciences, bewray they hauehave no conſcience, or very corrupt conſciences: for, if they had any conſcience, or any good conſcience, vvould it ſuffer them to refuſe ſuch a light in to Gods Lavv, as vvould cauſe them to make a conſcience of it? were Gods Lawes, and the knowledg of them made (think you) to intangle mens conſciences? doe not Miniſters & people both, pray & vſe meanes, to increaſe in knovvledge of Gods Lavvs; & are they novv afraid of the knowledge them, when of tendred vntounto them leaſt their conſciences ſhould be intangled with them?
Many thinke, happily it is a trueth, & it vvere not amiſſe if it vvere preformed; for vve hauehave little to ſay for our Lords day; & as little againſt the Sabbathday: but that ſuch a meane obſcure fallow, as this Brabourne is, vvho is ſuch & ſuch; vve knovv him vvell enough, both vvhat he is, & vvhat he was, &c. that ſuch a one ſhould attempt this reformation, our Spirits cannot brooke it: But bretheren, I hauehave often & ſtill doe vviſh vnfeinedly in many reſpectes, that God had put it into the harte of ſome other man, an eminent perſon, to hauehave informed in this caſe, that ſo my meaneneſſe, ſhould hauehave bene no impediment, to the progreſſe of Gods cauſe, but God is vvont to glorify himſelfe by weake inſtruments, that ſo the praiſe may be to God, & not to the inſtrumēt: that our times are no changlinges; that they differ not from former times, ſhall appeare by a ſtorie I reade of in Peter Heylyns Microcoſmos pag. 291. where it is thus reported; In the time of Luthers reformatiō, one Matheo Langie A Cardinal, & A Byſhop, of A Biſhopricke, of the greateſt reuenews, of any in all Germany, ingenuouſly confeſsed, that the Maſse was not void of its faultes; that the Courts of Rome were corrupted, & that a generall reformation, of the liues of prieſts & fryers, was neceſſary: But that a poore, raſcall Munke (for ſo he thought Luther, ſaith the Author) ſhould beginne all; that hee deemed intollerable, & not to be indured. Thus you ſee, ſcandall hath formerly bene taken, at the meaneneſſe of the perſon: great Clerkes, will neither attempt the reformation of abuſes them ſelues, nor yet can they beare it, that their inferioures ſhould doe any thing neither: the reaſon I take to be, becauſe in the former, they are in danger to looſe their greatneſſe, in the latter, to looſe their goodneſſe: it is lamentable to ſee, how now a dayes, the word & trueth of God, is receined with reſpect of perſones, and that among the beſt, both Miniſters & people: they inquire not now a dayes, vvhat hee ſaieth: and hovv agreeablie to the rule of Gods vvord hee ſpeaketh: but, vvhat is hee? whence comes hee? is hee a lofte in the vvorld? benifiſed with a good liuing? richly attired? is hee a man of note? can hee coutenance vsus? and the point he ſpeakes for? theſe, & the like carnall & childiſh reſpectes, hauehave Chriſtians, in receiuing Gods vvord; it would diſcourage any man almoſt, that is leſſe then A Doctour of Diuinity, & of the higheſt ranke for honour & vvorldly dignities, to be induſtriouſe in the ſtudy of the Scriptures, ſo as thereby to ad further light vntounto profeſſion; becauſe vvhat he ſaith ſhall be as meanly accounted of, as his perſon is: S. Iames ſaith. my brethren, hauehave not the ſaith of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt in reſpect of perſones Iam. 2.1.
Who that looketh vponupon theſe ſo many ſtumbling blockes, with many others that might be ſhowne, can wonder, that men of a ſharp ſight, yea & holy liefe, ſhould hauehave their eye ſight daz…lled, & not ſee ſuch a trueth, as is encountered with ſo many difficulties: were it ſuch a trueth, as the knovvledge & publike profeſſion thereof, vvould ſtand vvith antiquity, vniuerſality, publike applauſe & approbation, facility of reformation, credit & reputation, liueings & preferments, then ſhould I wonder & vvonder againe, if Miniſters ſhould not find it out preſently. & profeſſe it publikly: but this is ſuch a trueth, as is at the firſt thoughts of it, oppugned by a vvhole army of gaine ſaying obiections, all vvhichwhich, are preualent vvith manes naturall corruptiones: let not people therfore, think it a thing altogether impoſſible, for many Godly & lerned Miniſters, to ſide it together, againſt ſuch a trueth, & to bewillingly ignorant of it: and let ſuch Miniſters themſelues, ſerch out which of theſe obſtacles here mentioned, or the like to them, hath ſo blinded their mindes, & dazelled their reaſon, as neither Gods Memorandum, prefixed to the Saturday Sabbath; nor Gods Commandement; nor Gods enſample; no nor yet Gods reaſon & perſwaſion; & all written in the Morall Lavv, can preuaile with them, to take in to Remembrance againe, the Lords Sabbath day: for doubtleſſe, there muſt beſome beame or other, in the eye of their reaſon, which cannot ſee reaſon in Gods reaſon.
Before I conclud this ſection, one thing more I would commend to your conſideration, & this it is; vvheras this 4th com. generally conſidered, hath two partes; the one is the Commandement it ſelfe; the other is the reaſon of the commandement: as formerly I hauehave ſhowne you, that our Miniſters hauehave by their renovvncing of the time in the Com. renownced & aboliſhed, by iuſt conſequence, the whole 4th com. alſo: ſo much I am to diſcouer a further errour of theirs, which is, that by their aboliſhing of the time in 4th com. to wit, the Saturday, 7th day, Sabbath; hereby alſo they hauehave nullified, & aboliſhed, the reaſon to the com. which is taken from Gods owne example, and conteined in theſe words, For in ſixe dayes the Lord made the heauen & the earth, the ſea, & all that in them is, & rested the 7th day: Therefore the Lord bleſſed the Sabbath day, & hallowed it. All theſe words I ſay, they hauehave vtterly nullified, ſo as now they ſtand but for a cipher, to fill vp an empty place. What I hauehave charged them with, I thus make good: The argutum & thing which God would perſvvade his people vntounto, it is the obſeruation & ſanctification of the 7th day Sabbath, as you may ſee in the com. foregoeing this reaſon; to this end it pleaſeth God, to frame & propound vntounto vsus, a moſt notable, & liuely reaſon, taken from his owne example, to this effect, Remember you to ſanctifie the Sabbath day; for becauſe I ſanctified the Sabbath day: Doe you reſt from vvorke on the 7th day; for becauſe I reſted from worke on the 7th day: & therefore I hallowed & ſanctified the 7th day Sabbath. Now ſuppoſe we, that the 7th day Sabbath were aboliſhed, as they ſay it is, which is the argutum or thing argued, wherevnto God did by this reaſon perſwade, then what vſe can there be of this reaſon, which God here propoundeth? for example, now that Circumciſion, the Paſſeouer, & Sacrifices are ceaſed, what vſe is there now of thoſe reaſons, wherby Gods people the Iewes, were then perſwaded to thoſe dueties of Circumciſion, the Paſſeouer, & Sacrifices? ſuch is the caſe here, take away the Sabbath day, & you take away the reaſons that belonged to it, to perſwade vntounto the ſanctification thereof: for what need reaſons & motiues, to perſwad vntounto that which is not?
But happily they will ſay (though vntruely) that the Sabbath day is not aboliſhed, it is only but changed vntounto the Lords day. Well, ſay we for this time grant them this for argument ſake: then thus I make it good againſt them; the reaſon of the 4th comm. cannot poſſible be a reaſon vntounto the Lords day, for it is moſt abſurd for any man to thinke, God ſhould perſwade vsus to keepe the Lords day, becauſe hee kept the Sabbath day: or that God ſhould perſwade vsus, to keepe the firſt day of the weeke, becauſe kept the 7th & laſt day of the weeke: Thus the concluſion, & the premiſſes ſhould not be of the ſame, but of ſondry things: For, the day vvhereof the queſtion is, as novv they would hauehave it, to vvit, the Lords day, it differeth much from the day mentioned in the reaſon to the com. & that thus, 1. The day in the reaſon, God reſted in it, but the day in the queſtion, God vvrought in it. 2. The day in the reaſon, God ſanctified it, and hallovved it, but the day in their queſtion, to vvit, the Lords day, vve no vvhere reade that God bleſſed it, & ſanctified it: ſo the one differeth from the other, as much as an hallovved, or holy day, doth from an vnhallovved, or vvorking day. If it be ſo then, that this reaſon propoſed by God, cannot be applied vntounto the Lords day, then it follovveth, that this reaſon, is made by ſuch as oppoſe the Lords Sabbaths, a very cipher, & of none vſe, but to fill vp a voide place. A very vvicked fact it is, vvhoſoeuer are guilty of it.
Yet further, that this reaſon ſtands now a dayes (ſince our Lords day is come into vſe, and the Sabbath day aboliſhed) as a meere cipher; it vvill further appeare, if you doe but take a ſuru…y, of the Sermons of Miniſters in the Pulpit; & of their writings in bookes; for of all the arguments & reaſons, vvhereby they vrge people to the obſeruation of the Lords day, you ſhall neuer heare them make any vſe at all, of this reaſon, the vvhichwhich God himſelfe hath thought moſt meete to be vrged, and hath therefore annexed it, to his com. When did you heare any ſay, it is your duety, to ſanctify the Sabbath day, we now keepe; becauſe on it, God Almightie reſted from his worke? and, it is your duetie to keepe this Sabbath day, becauſe God did at the Creation, bleſſe it, and ſanctify it? No, if they ſhould vſe theſe reaſons, their davvbing vvould be ſeene into; eueryevery man can tell them, this Day that vve keepe, is not the day wherein God reſted, but the day vvhere, in he vvrought; and this day, is not the d…y vvhichwhich God bleſſed & ſanctified, for this day, is the 8th day, but God ſanctified the 7th day: vvherefore they are aſhamed to vſe this reaſon, & therefore they let it ſtand vntoucht, & thus it hath ſtood for a Cipher, this many hundreth of yeeres: me thinketh the conſideration but of this one point, ſhould be enough to certify them that they are wrong, for aſmuch as they dare not preſſe this Sabbath we novv keepe, vvith Gods reaſon, annexed to his 4th Comm. now of all reaſons that men can inuent, what reaſon more forcible then that, which is taken from Gods owne example, that he reſted on that day, & ſanctified it: but now this argument from the example of God, is ſtale in the Churches, is quite out of vſe; vvho doth excite & ſtirre vsus vp, in thes our dayes, from the example of God, ſaying, let vsus keepe the Sabbath day, for God Almightie kept it? let vsus reſt from our laboures on the Lords day, becauſe God reſted from his workes on this day? let vsus ſanctifie & hallovv the Lords day, becauſe God Sanctified & hallowed it, at the Creation, Geneſ. 2.2.3. let vsus keepe the Sabbath day, an Holly day? for God made it an Holly day, by hallowing it, Exod. 20.11. Geneſ. 2.2.3? Let vsus honour it, as the moſt auncient holly day, it being as auncient as the world, Geneſ. 2.2.3? & as the moſt honourable holly day, it being made an holy day, by God himſelfe, & not by man, Geneſ. 2.2.3. all men follow the example of the king; & who would not follow this example of God, the king of kings, if it were vrged? if therfore the Lords Sabbaths, be neglected, for want of forcible & moſt preualent argumēts & reaſons, let ſuch Miniſters beare the blame, who depriue the people of this ſo effectuall & mouing an argument: what a maruailouſe thing is it, that God ſhould in his wiſedome & goodneſſe to vsus, beſids his Com. perſwade vsus by ſuch mouing & powerfull reaſons, as he hath annexed to his Com. & yet Miniſters are Mute & ſilent, as if ther were no ſuch things in the Law & word of God: is it not meete, that ſuch af oule errour as this is, ſhould be diſcouered?
But ſuppoſe that ſome hauehave Sophiſtically, by playing with the Homonymie of the word Sabbath, improperly applied to our Lords day, both deceiued themſelues & others, & ſo vrged a farre off this reaſon vponupon our day, ſurly they hauehave toucht it, but lightly, as glad when they are ſafely got off it againe, leaſt they ſhould bewray all: for example, ſuppoſe a man that knowes the difference betwixt the day called Sabbath day, in ſcripture; and the day called Lords day: the one being the 7th & laſt day of the weeke, the other, the firſt day of the weeke: the one, being the day before the other; the one being for memory of the Creation, the other for memory of the Redemption: if now a Miniſter ſhould tell him, it is his dutie to ſanctify the Lords day, becauſe God ſanctified the Sabbath day; would not the man think the Miniſter ieſteth vvith him? ſince he knowes God ſanctified the 7th day of the weeke, but our Lords day, is the 8th day, or firſt day of the weeke? & ſince he knowes that the reaſon which he vſeth, ſpeakes of the day named Sabbath day, but the day he applieth this reaſon vntounto, it is of another name, to wit, the Lords day? vvould he not thinke the Miniſter hath foully miſtaken himſelfe, to miſapply ſo the example of God, to a wrong day? for, if the Miniſter would preſſe a man, to ſanctify the Lords day, from the example of God, he muſt bring an example where God reſted on the Lords day; and where God bleſſed & ſanctified the Lords day. Wherfore, to conclud this point, either they are a ſhamed of Gods reaſon, & dare not vſe it at all; or if they doe, they muſt play the egregiouſe Sophiſters vvith the peopſe, by playing with the Homonymie of the vvord Sabbath, vſeing it in an other ſenſe, then it is vſed by God, thereby to couer their doubling, from the eyes of the people; but for the moſt parte of them I am ſuer, they vſe not this reaſon at all, & theſe doe leſſe euill, then thoſe which abuſe it.
Thus then you ſee, they hauehave firſt aboliſhed the whole 4th Commandement, as elſvvhere I hauehave proued; & here againe you ſee they hauehave aboliſhed the reaſon to the Com. & Gods example: now then let vsus put them together, & then the totall ſome vvill be, that they hauehave by aboliſhing the Time in the 4th Com. aboliſhed alſo the vvholl Commandement: & not onelyonly that but alſo the reaſon & example of God, annexed to the Com. & ſo they hauehave made cleere vvorke; for they hauehave taken away all, euen all, roote & branch. Thus you ſee then the time and 7th day in the Com. is of ſome conſequence, euen as the foundation is to the building, vvhen as it being once remoued, all comes tumbling downe, let this time therfore be more regarded, if you vvill hauehave the 4th com. at all regarded.