A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 4 · Commentary · Section 18

A Defense of the Sabbath Day · Chapter 4 · Commentary · Section 18

p. 327SECT. XVIII.

14. They fetch an argumēt againſt the 7th day, out of Ex. 31.13. Keepe yee my Sabbaths; for it is a ſigne betwene me & you in your p. 328generationes, that ye may know that I the Lord doe ſāctifie you. This text M. Chappell vrgeth, & ſo doth eueryevery man: now becauſe they put no ſmale confidence in this text, for the aboliſhing of the Lords Sabbaths, I muſt therefore take the more paines in anſwering it: for they hauehave no more but this text & an other, & if they faile in theſe two textes, as they hauehave done in all the former, then hauehave they no culler or cloke left them, for maintaining the aboliſhing of this ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbaths; & then this fearefull ſinne of a weekely tranſgreſſion of the 4th com. & violation of the Lords Sabbaths, will lay heauy vponupon the conſciences of the patrones of the Lords day: for theſe are they, who doe teach ſtifly that the 7th day Sabbath is aboliſhed, and doe warrant the people, that they may with a ſafe conſcience, violate the Saturday Sabbath: and behold, theſe are their grownds for it which we hauehave already anſwered, and are in anſwering: But before I come to lay downe their arguments out of this text, and my anſwers; I will in the firſt place ſhew how they are cōdemned by their owne Authores, who doe apply this text, to the Sabbath in the 4th com. and would make it a ſigne & ſo aboliſhed: & then I will ſhew alſo, how abſurd they are to make attempt, to proue any thing out of this text, againſt the Lords Sabbaths.

It is well knowne, I might here alleage the Teſtimonies of many, both godly & lerned, who writing on the doctrine of the Sabbath day in the 4th com. hauehave defended it, againſt this texte of Exod. 31.13. ſhewing that it is not ſo a ſigne, as it can be therefore a ceremony, & aboliſhed: of which number is M. Greenham on the Sabbath, & M. Richard Byfield, pag. 88.99. of late come forth: Doctour Bownde, & Doctour Ames, & others cited in the firſt Section of this Chapter: with diuerſe others, whoſe words & names I ſpare, as well knowne vntounto ſuch as are ſeene into this controuercy: for nothing ſeemed more abſurd vntounto them, then to thinke God ſhould put a ceremoniall ſigne and ſhaddow, into the body of the 4th com, and heart of the Morall Law: all which writers doe condemne thoſe who would make the Sabbath day, a ſigne, & ſo aboliſhed by this texte Exod. 31.13.

p. 329For matter of abſurdety. 1. it appeareth in this, that by bringing this text Exod. 31. againſt the morall and weekly Sabbath, commanded in the morall Law, hereby they picke quarrels with God, & his ordinances: for, this text doth not ſay, that becauſe the Sabbath is a ſigne, therby you ſhall know it for certaine, that it ſhall be aboliſhed: no, but becauſe the Sabbath is here caled a ſigne, therefore hence they will needs collect, that it muſt be aboliſhed: & for furtherance of this wicked collection, all their wites & invention are ſet on worke, partly ſo to expound this text, as it may not be vnderſtod of the yeerly Sabbaths by no meanes, leaſt ſo the morall & weekly Sabbath ſhould be preſerued from ruine and deſtruction; & therfore they will expound it of this morall and weekly Sabbath, that ſo it may be aboliſhed, & its light extinguiſhed: partly how to proue all ſignes to be aboliſhed, & the like: and this is done to this euill end alſo, that ſo they may bring the Sabbath of the Lord, within the compaſſe of an aboliſhed ſigne, and ſo quite raſe it out of the morall Law, and roote it out of the Church: thus you ſee, how they ſeeke out for, and ſtudy to find matter againſt Gods ordinance; and all this needleſly and cauſleſly, ſaue that they beare a grudge againſt the Lords Sabbaths, and would hauehave them prophaned: for what other reaſon can they render of this their fact? ſuer I am, this text Exod. 31. doth not compell them to ſay any thing againſt the 7th day Sabbaths: for they are faint to vſe their beſt witts, to inuent ſomething in it, that may make againſt Gods Sabbath, and is not this then to picke a quarrell with Gods ordinance?

S. Paul ſaith, LoueLove thinketh no euill 1. Cor. 13.5. & ſuer I am, theſe men thinke no good: for did they louelove Gods Sabbaths, and Gods commandements for themſelues, vnleſſe, ſome ſpirit of ſlumber for the preſent hath poſſeſſed them, they could not but ſhew their louelove to Gods 4th com. as well as to the reſt of the commandements, & manifeſt their louelove alſo in time of triall, by thinking good, and that which might make for the preſeruation of Gods Sabbaths, & 4th com. intirly, rather then by thinking euill of them, to doe ſome act againſt them: how can men think worſe of any thing, then to labour its abolition, ruine, and deſtruction? yea, & that too, when they need not ſo doe, hauing p. 330no cauſe mouing them therevnto, ſaue a corrupted mind: this is a malitiouſe & wicked ſpirit, that will ſtudy the ouerthrow of an ancient ordinance of God, yea an ordinance as ancient as any in the Church of God what ſoeuer, and labour to vndermine it cauſleſly: I wiſh M. Chappel, & his other 9. confederate Miniſters would thinke of this point: at the latter end, after I had handled the 4th com. I gaue ſondry effectuall reaſones to moue vsus to the louelove of Gods Law; & is this the louelove that men beare to it, to ſeeke out how & which way they may ouerthrow for euer ſome parte of it?

And what will be the iſſue of all this? why euen this: hereby Gods Morall Law, ſhall become a morall-ceremoniall Law: Gods Law ſhall be maimed, & denied its integrity & perfection: yea a godly prayer of our Church, ſhall become a babling before God: & thoſe moſt ancient Churches, which liued next the Apoſtles, & are therfore accounted the moſt pure Churches, ſhall be condemned, in that they religiouſly obſerued this Sabbath day.

A ſecond abſurdety, that theſe men who are partiall in Gods Law, doe fale into, by ſharpening their wites, to fetch an argument out of this text, Exod. 31.13. againſt the 7th day Sabbath, is this; that hereby they doe contradict them ſelues moſt foulely; for, they teach & maintaine, that the Reſt in the 4th com. is morall & perpetuall: & yet for all that, they will bring an argument, out of this text, which doth plainly ouethrow this Reſt, as well as any thing elſe: for, the Hebrew word Sabbath, ſignifieth Reſt: now then, if the Sabbath here mentioned, Exod. 31.13. be a ſigne, and ſo aboliſhed, ſo muſt alſo the Rest ſignified by the word Sabbath, be a ſigne alſo, & aboliſhed too: and yet for all this, will they hauehave this Reſt morall & perpetuall? will they hauehave this Sabbath or Reſt, both morall and ceremoniall? what a groſſe contradiction is this?

Yet further, it is to be noted, that whereas the cōtrouercy betwixt vsus, is about the time & day onelyonly; for they would aboliſh the 7th day, this text which they bring doth not ſo much as mē tion the word day in Exod. 31.13.14. for it mentioneth onelyonly the word Sabbaths: whenc I gather, that though the word day be implied, yet becauſe it is not mentioned, therefore if any p. 331thing be made a ſigne of Chriſt, it is rather the Sabbaths, then the day: wherefore, if the Sabbaths be a ſigne of Chriſt, which ſignify Reſtes, then are the Reſtes, ceremonies, and aboliſhed ſignes of Chriſt: & ſo the Reſt in the 4th com. which they hold to be morall, by this text they make to be ceremoniall: ſo we hauehave a morall ceremoniall Reſt, a contraicted Reſt.

A third abſurdety that theſe mē fale into, who will hauehave God ſerued by halues and by peecemeale, is this; that whilſt they make a gloriouſe ſhew to the people, that they ſtand for the 4th com. as well as for the reſt of the commandements, they doe notwithſtanding ſo gelde it, & picke out the life & ſoule of it, as they leaue it but like a deade corpſe; for, by their conſequences, (ſuch as they are) they would out of this text, Exod. 31.13. make the Sabbath day, a ſigne, & ſo a ceremony, and ſo then aboliſhed: well then, be it ſo; hence then I argue, If that Sabbath day, commanded in the 4th com. be an aboliſhed ſigne & ceremony, thē is the 4th com. nullified, & like a dead corpſe; for, it ſtandeth for a cipher, and commandeth iuſt nothing: for the cleering of this point, let vsus ſee the 4th com. thus it is written, Remember the (Sabbath day) to ſanctifi it, Exod. 20.8. let any man now take out of theſe words, in this commandement, theſe ij. words (Sabbath day) & then let him tell me, what it is which the 4th com. commandeth: you may as well take away theſe ij. words (Sabbath day) which they ſay are a ſigne, and ceremony, and aboliſhed; & in ſtead of them, put ſo many ciphers in the commandement, as there be letters in theſe ij. words, that is tenn, & then we may write this commande. thus, Remember the (0000000000) to ſanctifie it, Exod. 20.8.

I remember our Sauiour Chriſt hath a ſimilitude, wherin he likeneth ſuch hearers as heare, but doe not, vntounto a fooliſh man, who builded his howſe vponupon the ſande, Mat. 7.26. but I now tell you of builders, & builders in Gods houſe too, who are more fooliſh then this fooliſh man, for he built, though not vponupon a rocke, yet he built vponupon the Sande, ſo as his houſe might ſtand vntill the floodes came & the winds blewe; but theſe mē, would build Gods 4th com. vponupon worſe then ſand, for they build it vponupon nothing (0000000000) and make it to command p. 332nothing 0000000000. all this muſt needs be true againſt them vnleſſe they can ſhew vsus, that there were two Sabbath daies ſpoken of in the 4th com. one vponupon the 7th day, & an other vponupon the 8th day; and this they cannot doe, ſeing the Lord ſpake in the ſingular number, in his 4th com. ſaying, Remember the Sabbath day, and not in the plurall number, Remember the Sabbaths, or Remember the Sabbath daies: now foraſmuch as they hauehave robbed the 4th com. of one Sabbath day, there muſt now be no Sabbath day in the 4th com. vnleſſe they cane by helpe of their magnified reaſon & conſequences proue vntounto vsus, that God commanded ij: Sabbaths in his 4th com.

A fourth abſurdety that theſe men fale into (who are aduerſaries to the Integrity & perfection of Gods Law, by reiecting his Sabbaths) is this; that they ſet Scriptures togeather by the eares, text againſt text, and God againſt himſelfe: for whereas it is a rule, that no expoſition, & by like reaſon, no conſequēce or collectiō, is to be giuen of and from any text, which is contrary vntounto other plaine texts of Scripture, as for example, the 10. commandements, & the analogie of faith, &c. yet theſe aduerſaries of Gods trueth, hauehave giuen ſuch expoſitiones of, & conſequences from this one text, Exod. 31.13. as whereby they doe vtterly nullify ſomething, plainly & expreſly commanded in the 10 commandements, as for example the 7th day Sabbaths.

Firſt then their abſurdety appeareth, in ſweruing from the common receiued & approued rule: & ſecondly in making one portion of holy write, to contradict an other; yea to contradict an ordinance, commanded in the Morall Law: &, which is yet worſt of all, they make their owne idle brained conſequences, fetched out of this text, which neuer were in it, to contradict an expreſſe commandement of the greate Gods: ſo that now, mans ſawcy reaſon, & friuolouſe collections ſhall confront a plaine commandement of his Gods: yea, it ſhall ſit in equall throne with God: I, & which is worſe, it ſhall take the right hand of God alſo: for their conſequences doe more auaile with men, then Gods expreſſe commandement; & their collections, ſhall be a Counter mand, to Gods commandement: yea, they ſhall take the vpper hand of it, & ſhoulder it qui e out of place, as we ſee to our hearts aſtoniſ…ment it doth, when we looke vponupon the ruined 7th p. 333day Sabbath: on times! oh manners! oh wicked manners of theſe ſinefull times! ſome men doe ſo pride themſelues in their wit, & beare themſelues ſo ſtrongly vponupon their lerning, as by theſe they dare make an aſſault vponupon God, and Syllogiſtically cruſh to nothing, what God once eſtabliſht in his Church, with terrible thunder and lightening: were this done by ſome profane perſon, it were not ſo much to be thought on; but the Authores & ſtife Agents in this moſt horrible fact, are ſuch as drawe nere vntounto God, and called puritane Miniſters: oh that they ſhewed more purity then this comes to: it grieueth me, thus to blow vp the Skirtes of my bethren, but I hauehave none other way left vntounto me now but onelyonly this one, to diſcouer them vntounto the world, that they may be aſhamed of their folly; & to preuent men in following them; elſe they will leade the world after them, ſo mad they are in their dotages, & ſo vnmouable: the Prophet Dauid hath a paſſage which will beare me out in this, fill their faces with ſhame, that they may ſeeke thy name, o Lord. Pſal. 83.16.

I might for theſe reaſons & abſurdeties of theirs, reiect their arguments, as vnworthy any anſwer at all; for they deſerue none: yet as Salomon ſaith, Leaſt they be wiſe in their owne conceit Pro. 26.5 and thinke there is worth and excellency in their arguments, I will miſeſpend ſome time, and waſte ſome paper and inke, to ſhew them their vanity: & ſo I come to their arguments. I conceiue they may argue out of this text Exod. 31.13. theſe wayes; the firſt whereof is this, All Signes are aboliſhed: But the 7th day Sabbath, is a Signe, Exod. 31.13. Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is aboliſhed.

To this argument I anſwer, as for the minor, it ſhall be anſwered, in the after paſſages: but as for their Major, I deny it: for, they can not proue it: & I giuegive inſtances to the contrary, ſhewing that all Signes are not aboliſhed: for example, the Raine bow, God made it a Signe that he would neuer more deſtroy the world by a floode of waters Geneſ. 9.12.13. neuertheleſſe the Raine bow is not aboliſhed; for wee ſee it ſtill in the cloudes, in rainey weather. For other ſignes ſtill remayning ſee the proofe of the next Major, & ſee theſe Scriptures Ro. 3.25. p. 334Phil. 1.28. 2. Theſ. 1.5. and thus much for anſwer to this argument.

An other way whereby they may argue out of this textis this, All Signes of Chriſt are aboliſhed. But the 7th day Sabbath, is a Signe of Chriſt: Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is aboliſhed. But I deny this wholl argument, both Major and Minor.

For the Major, I deny that all ſignes of Chriſt are aboliſhed: For, they can not proue it: and becauſe there are ſondry ſignes of Chriſt remayning ſtill: for example, the Bridgroome, was made a type or ſigne of Chriſt Ioh. 3.29. Reuel. 29.9. and as we reade eueryevery where in the booke of the Canticles: ſo the Shepheard Ioh. 10.11. was made a ſigne of Chriſt; and yet theſe relationes remaine ſtill: we hauehave Bridgroomes ſtill, and Shepheards ſtill. 2. certaine meates legally vncleane, as the Hare, the Conie, and the Swine Leuit. 11.5.6.7. they were made a ſigne of Chriſt Act. 10.14.15. Col. 2.16. and, yet for all that, all Hares, Conies, and Swine, are not aboliſhed, no nor as touching abſtenence from them, as in a faſt. 3. The Rocke in the wilderneſſe, was made a ſigne of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.4. and yet the Rocke is not vaniſhed out of its place, becauſe it was once a ſigne of Chriſt, nor is it become vſeleſſe, but that men may waſh and cattell drink at it to this day. 4. I might add, that circumciſion, being a Sacrament, it was a ſigne of Chriſt Rom. 4.11. & yet thoſe infāts, circumciſed a little before Chriſt his death, their circumciſion was not gathered as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, or nullified and aboliſhed, immediatly after Chriſts death, nor in all the time of their liues after, ſee 1. Cor. 7.18. by all which inſtances, it is manifeſt that all ſignes of Chriſt, are not aboliſhed.

I come now to the Minor; and here I deny, that the 7th day Sabbath, was at any time a Signe of Chriſt conſidered as incarnate: their text Exod. 31.13. ſaith indeed; that the Sabbath was a ſigne; but it doth not ſay, that the Sabbath was a Signe of Chriſt: indeed the text ſpeaketh of Iehouah, God the father vnderunder this word Lord, but it is altogether ſilent of God the Sonne, Chriſt Ieſus, conſidered as mediator & incarnate: wherefore p. 335this text maketh nothing for their purpoſe; and thus is this ſecond argument anſwered.

Neuertheleſſe, ſome reply and vrge this text further for the prouing of this Minor, ſaying, that God ſanctifyeth vsus, by Chriſt conſidered as incarnate, as is plaine Eph. 1.3. Herevnto I anſwer behold! what ſhufling is heere, is this the way to proue by neceſſary conſequence, when they are forced from one text, to flie vntounto an other text? were there that neceſſary conſequence (where of they talke) in their argument out of this text, they ſhould not neede to flie vntounto an other; is not this to picke aquarrell againſt Gods ordinance; & voluntarily without any neceſſity, to ſeeke out for matter againſt God? but all this will nothing auaile them: For, 1. I hauehave ſome exceptiones againſt the text in my former booke p. 138. 2dly, admit that God doth ſanctify by Chriſt, yet it followeth not; that what ſouer is made a ſigne of God the Father, and of God the Sonne conſidered as God, it muſt alſo be a ſigne, of God the Sonne conſidered as redeemer and incarnate: ſo greate is the difference betwixt Chriſt conſidered as God coequall with the father, and conſidered as Godman incarnate, as that which being a ſigne of God the father, though it muſt alſo be a ſigne of God the Sonne conſidered as God coequall to the father, yet it is not neceſſary that it ſhould be a ſigne alſo of God the Sonne conſidered as God-man and incarnate.

Further more, I will giuegive three anſwers more vntounto this argument: the firſt is by diſtinguiſhing of Signes; if the Sabbath here be a ſigne of Chriſt, then there are ſome ſignes of Chriſt, which are euer preſent with the thing ſignified, as in this text Exod. 31.13. where the text ſpeaketh in the preſent tenſe, doe, it is a Signe, that I the Lord doe ſanctify you: where you ſee, this is a Signe of ſomthing as preſent: & there be ſome Signes of Chriſt, which are farre diſtant from the thing ſignified, where the ſigne was preſent, but the thing ſignified was future; of this kind was circumciſion, ſacrifices, meates and drinkes, new Moones, and yeerly Sabbathes: now the former ſenſe is it which they muſt imbrace, by this text Exod. 31.13. and in this ſenſe, I deny, that ſuch ſignes of Chriſt are aboliſhed: for albeit it were ſo, that of the p. 336latter kind of ſignes, where the ſigne and the thing ſignified were farre aſſunder in time, that at the preſence of the thing ſignified the ſigne vaniſhed; yet is there not like reaſon in the former kind of ſignes; for then the Sabbath day, which was made a ſigne of Chriſt (as they ſay) then preſently ſanctifying the Iſralites, ſhould hauehave vaniſhed and hauehave bene aboliſhed, euen in thoſe dayes wherein Moſes wrote this text Exod. 31.13. for then at that time, was the Signe and the thing Signified preſent together. It is a ſigne that I the Lord doe ſanctify you, ſaith the text.

My ſecond anſwer is this, whereas they build ſo ſtrongly vponupon it, that the Sabbath day, was here made a ſigne of Gods, and ſo alſo of Chriſts ſanctification, as if ſanctification were a maine thing ſignified, and typed out, by the Sabbath, this I deny: the Sabbath was not made a ſigne of Sanctification: but onelyonly a ſigne of God the Lord. For the word Sanctifie in this text, is vſed as a deſcription of God, not as the antitype or thing ſignified: the antitype or thing ſignified is onelyonly the Lord: as if the text were thus read, My Sabbath is a ſigne, that yee may know, that I am the Lord: or, that I am the Lord, who doe ſanctifie you: For confirmation of this ſee Ezek. 20.20.12. where the ſame matter is repeated thus, Sanctify my Sabbathes, & they ſhall be a ſigne betwene me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

Hereby you may ſee, that the thing ſignified by the Sabbath, was the Lord our God; for God would giuegive his people a ſigne, whereby they might know him, that ſanctifieth them, from all falſe Gods: now if the word ſanctify had bene the thing ſignified and typed, then that word would not hauehave bene omitted here, as being the chiefe thing intended: Thus you ſee, the Sabbath was no ſigne of Sanctification; and yet vponupon this ſuppoſition, they build all this their argument.

My third anſwer, is by diſtinguiſhing of the word ſanctify: it may be taken 1. For that inherent grace of holineſſe which is wrought in the hearts of the Elect, by the holy Ghoſt; or 2. For an externall priuilege, whereby a Nation or people are ſeuered from other Nations and people, to participate of the outward ordinances of God, as the word and Sacraments &c. Rom. 3.1.2. p. 337Rom. 9.4. Deut. 4.8.34. Exod. 19.10. now admit the Sabbath was made a ſigne of Sanctification, then may the word Sanctifie in the text, be vnderſtode of this latter kind of Sanctification onelyonly: now this Sanctification cannot hauehave reference vntounto Chriſt, conſidered as incarnate; for if it hath, then the text muſt rune thus: keepe yee my Sabbaths; for they are a Signe, that I the Lord (Chriſt) doe ſanctifie you: Now the Lord Chriſt conſidered as incarnate, could not be ſayed to ſanctifie thoſe Iſralites in Moſes his time: that is, to take the people of the Iewes then from other Nationes, and beſtow vponupon them thoſe holy Privileges of his Oracles, circumciſion, and the reſt: for, hee was not incarnate of 2000 yeeres after that.

A third way whereby I ſuppoſe they may argue out of this text Exod. 31.13. is this: All ſignes, whoſe things ſignified or antitypes be come weare forthwith aboliſhed: But the 7th day Sabbath, was a ſigne, whoſe antitype is long ſince come: Therefore, the 7th day Sabbath, was forthwith (at the death of Chriſt) aboliſhed. For the trueth of the Major, this they thinke to proue, partly by that text Col. 2.16.17. and partly from that common receiued axiome, that when the body is come, the ſhaddow or ſigne vaniſheth.

Herevnto I anſwer, 1. for the text Col. 2.16.17. that this text will not helpe them; for our queſtion now is aboute ſignes: But this text ſaith nothing of Signes, for it ſpeaketh onelyonly of Shaddowes: now there may be greate difference made betwixt a ſigne and a Shaddow; For, eueryevery Shaddow may be a ſigne, but eueryevery Signe is not a Shaddow: we hauehave the word Shaddow vſed but thrice in the new Teſtament, as in Col. 2.17. and in Heb. 8.5. and in Heb. 10.1. and it is euer vſed to ſignifie a thing to come futurlie, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh plainly, Which are a ſhaddow, of things, to come Col. 2.17. And againe, The law hauing a ſhaddow of good things to come. Heb. 10.1. But now, Signes are vſed to ſignify things paſt Exod. 31.17. Rom. 4.11. and ſomtimes things to come, Geneſ. 17.8.11. and ſomtime to ſignify a thing preſent as Exod. 31.13. wherefore ſeeing there is ſo greate a difference, betwixt a ſigne and a Shaddow, we muſt not confound them; the Apoſtle would aboliſh no more but ſuch ſignes onelyonly, as did ſignify things to come: and the Sabbath p. 338in Exod. 31.13. is made onelyonly a ſigne of a thing preſent.

HaueHave theſe men an indifferent reſpect with Dauid vntounto all Gods commandements Pſal. 119.6. (think you) when they belabour it ſo ſtudiouſly, to ouerthrow a parte of them? and may not theſe men be ſaid to louelove Gods law from the heart, and to be true friends vntounto it, when they vſe all their wit and lerning, to ouerthrow an ordinance of Gods, commanded expreſly in that law? and what will be the iſſue of this their thankleſſe worke? why this, the bright ſhining law of God, which is a light vntounto our feete Pſal. 119.105. it ſhall by this their greate ſtudy hauehave a darke ſhaddow, or ceremony, placed in the very heart of it: yea, it ſhall be made a very monstre among Gods lawes: For of all Gods lawes from Geneſis to Malachie there is not one like it: ſuch a hotch potch they hauehave made it: it ſhall be partly fiſh parly fleſh, partly white partly blake, partly morall partly ceremoniall, partly aboliſhed partly entaining: may they not be in louelove with this their worke, to behold the vglineſſe of it?

2. I anſwer to their axiome, and ſo alſo to their Major, by deniall that all ſignes muſt forthwith vaniſh, when the antitype and thing ſignified is come; and I giuegive theſe inſtances to the contrary. 1. The Paſſeouer Lamb, it was a Signe that God would ſpare the Iſraelites at midnight, when he came to deſtroy the firſtborne of the Egyptians; now this Paſſeouer, it was eaten in the Euening before this midnight, ſo that it was a ſigne of a deliuerance to come, as namly in the night after: now midnight being come, and the Angel bauing Paſſed-ouer, & ſpared the firſtborne of the Iſraelites, here then the antitype or thing ſignified by the Paſſeouer, was come: and yet for all that, this Signe of the Paſſeouer, it was not forthwith aboliſhed; for it laſted many hundreth of yeeres after, euen till the laſt Supper of Chriſt: ſee Exod. 12.6.13.29.25. Luk. 22.15. yea, it remained ſtill as a ſigne of thier deliuerance which was paſt, come and gone long before, as you may ſee Exod. 12.26.27. loe here, the ſigne remained, long after the thing ſignified was come and gone: for, the fathers were to inſtruct their Children, when they were in Canaan, that this Paſſeouer was kept in remembrance of Gods deliuerance from the deſtroying Angell, whilſt they were in Egypt, which deliuerance p. 339was long before this Paſſeouer, and this Paſſeouer long after the deliuerance ſignified by it: And vvhy may not the Sabbath laſt alſo in the Church (if it were a ſigne) long after Chriſts coming in the fleſh, euen till his laſt coming vntounto iudgment? I can ſee nothing to the contrary, but that it pleaſeth not our Miniſters to hauehave it ſo: indeede they talke much that the Sabbath it was a ſigne, the Sabbath it was a ſigne, and now the body Chriſt being come, the ſigne muſt of neceſſity be gone, but here they ſee the contrary, the ſigne of the Paſſeouer it laſted in the Church, many hundreth of yeers after the thing ſignified by it was come.

2. Circumciſion, it was a ſigne, that God would giuegive the Land of Canaan, to the Iſraelites Geneſ. 17.4.8.10. well then, Canaan was the thing ſignified by the ſigne of circumciſion: now when the Iſraelites were come into the Land of Canaan, then they had receiued the thing ſignified; but did not this ſigne of circumciſion, laſt in the Church, many hundreth yeers after that? yis, euen to the coming of Chriſt; for he was circumciſed: and why may, not the Sabbath (if a ſigne) remaine ſtill in the Church after Chriſts death? if they ſay, that circumciſion was a ſigne of ſomething elſe beſids the Land of Canaan; ſo ſay I was the Sabbath; for it was a ſigne alſo of the creation, or of Gods reſt then Exod. 31.17.

A 3d inſtance: The Lord gaue Moſes a ſigne or token, that hee had ſent him to deliuer the Iſralites; now the ſigne was this, that after he had brought the Iſraelites out of Egypt, both hee & they ſhould ſerue God vponupon the Mount Horeb, Exod. 3.1.12. where you ſee, that the ſigne, was a good while after that the thing ſignified was come: for the thing ſignified was this, that Moſes ſhould goe vntounto Pharaoh and alſo bring the children of Iſrael out of Egypt, Exod. 3.11. now after hee had bene with Pharaoh, & after he had carried the Iſralites out of Egypt, then was the ſigne not aboliſhed, but to be vſed: An other inſtance of like kind, we find in Iſa. 7.14. you may ſee it at your leiſure: by all which inſtances this one thing appeareth, that a ſigne may remaine, lōg after the thing ſignified by it be come, & thus is their 3d argument anſwered.

Oh, how doe theſe men louelove the Law of God? who thus diſpute againſt it? and what would be the iſſue, if they could p. 340obtaine their deſires? why this, Gods Law ſhould become A Monſtre: & we Proteſtantes ſhould become Anabaptistes, & profane perſones, kepeing no Sabbaths at all, for beſides this Sabbath, they ſhall neuer be able to ſhew vsus any other.

Hauing anſwered to all that they can ſay out of this text, & to eueryevery argument ſeuerally, now I come to giuegive iij. anſwers more, which may ſerue to eueryevery of their 3. arguments: but firſt I deſire my aduerſaries, either to imbrace theſe my anſwers, and diſtinctiones, whereby I would preſerue Gods Sabbaths, or elſe to ſtudy ſuch others, as may pleaſe them better; or elſe they bewray abhominable partiallity to Gods Law & trueth: for they cane preſerue nyne commandements, & halfe of the 4th, & why not the other halfe, & ſo all the tenn intirely?

Firſt, whereas they take it for granted, that the Sabbath here mentioned, Exo. 31.13. which they ſay is made a ſigne of ſanctification, that it is the 7th day Sabbath, mentioned in the 4th com. this I deny: there are ii. ſortes of Sabbaths, the weekly 7th day Sabbath; & the yeerly Sabbaths: now this their text, may be vnderſtod of the Annuall and yeerly Sabbaths, which neuer came into the Morall Law: if therefore I ſhall make it appeare, that this text of theirs, may be vnderſtod of the Annuall and ceremoniall Sabbathes, and not of the morall, weekly Sabbath; then is all their labour loſt, and all their 3 arguments friuolouſe; for all their arguments hauehave argued onelyonly againſt the yeerly ceremoniall Sabbaths, the which no man will defend; for this purpoſe therefore, note theſe things:

1. It is very improbable, that all thoſe verſes v. 13.14.15.16.17. which are 5 in number, ſhould treate but of one kind of Sabbath, to wit, the 7th day Sabbath, as may appeare by the very reading of them ouer, vnleſſe you would ſay here were a Tautologie, ouer and ouer againe with the ſame thinge. Wherefore it is more probable, that in this long and large diſcourſe of Sabbaths, Moſes ſpeaketh of ij ſortes of Sabbaths, of the yeerly Sabbaths in Exod. 31.13.14. and of the weekly Sabbath in Exod. 31.15.16.17. ſome light is added herevnto, if we doe but obſerue Moſes; for he vſeth often in ſpeaking of the Sabbath, to mention both kinds before he hath done, that p. 341is, both the anniuerſary Sabbaths, and the weekly Sabbath, as you may ſee in Exod. 23.12.14.15.16. and in Exod. 34.21.22.23. and in Leuit. 23.3.4.24.32.38.39.

A 2d reaſon may be this; the Lord had giuen Moſes in charge to build the Tabernacle, Exod. 25.8.9. the making whereof, would coſt greate & longe labour; now leaſt the people ſhould thinke, that becauſe the worke about this Tabernacle, was an holy worke, perteyning vntounto God, for his ſeruice and worſhip, that therefore they might put no difference of dayes, whilſt they were in this worke, but that they might worke vponupon the Sabbaths alſo, whither weekly Sabbaths, or yeerly Sabbaths, as well as on the 6 working dayes; to preuent this, Notwithstanding (ſaith the Lord) my Sabbaths yee ſhall keepe &c. Exod. 31.13. &c. as if the Lord had ſaid, albeit I will that you make me A Tabernacle &c. Yet I will not, that you worke about it on my Sabbath dayes; now becauſe the people, were as prone, vponupon this occation of building the Tabernacle, to worke vponupon the yeerly Sabbaths when their turne came, as vponupon the weekly Sabbath, on the 7th day, therfore it is meete for vsus to thinke, that God would as well make prouiſion heere, for his yeerly Sabbaths, as for the weekly Sabbath: and that therefore in this text Exod. 31. Moſes ſpake of the yeerly Sabbaths, as in v. 13.14. and of the weekly Sabbath, as in v. 15.16.17. that ſo the people appointed to worke about the Tabcrnacle, as Bezaleel and Aboliab and the reſt, they might not worke, either vponupon the yeerly or weekly Sabbath: but were all theſe 5 verſes ſpent onelyonly about one kind of Sabbath, as the weekly Sabbath onelyonly, then had not God made proviſion heere for his yeerly Sabbaths, which cannot be likly.

A third reaſon may be this, that in theſe fewe verſes v. 13.14.15.16.17. there is threatened the puniſhment of death, to thoſe that doe any worke on the Sabbath, two ſeuerall times, & in two ſeuerall verſes, as in v. 14. whoſoeuer worketh therein, the ſame perſon ſhall be cut of from his people: and in v. 15. whoſoeuer doth any worke in the Sabbath day, ſhall dye the death. Now it is not likly, that one and the ſame puniſhment ſhould be repeated, and twiſe together threatened, for the breach of p. 342one kinde of Sabbath day: and therefore to auoid a Tautologie and needleſſe repetition, it is moſt likly that here Moſes ſpake of two kinds of Sabbaths, of the yeerly Sabbath in v. 13. and ſo threatened death to the tranſgreſſoures of them in v. 14. and of the weekly Sabbath in v. 15. and ſo threatened death alſo to the tranſgreſſours of it, in the latter end of the ſame v. 15.

A 4th reaſon may be this, that the Sabbaths in v. 13.14. are made a ſigne of Sanctification or Redemption by Chriſt, as they ſay; but the Sabbath in v. 15.16.17. is kept in memory of the Creation, and is a ſigne of Creation, to remember, that in 6 dayes the Lord made beauen and earth, and reſted on the 7th day, as you hauehave it in v. 17. now theſe diuerſe ſignes doe intimate, that here may be diuerſe Sabbaths ſpoken of in theſe verſes: for, Sanctification and Redemption may be applied to the one kind, and Creation to the other kind of Sabbaths: for, it is nothing probable, that Redemption and Creation, ſhould be both applied vntounto one kind onelyonly.

Thus you ſee what liklihod there is, that the Sabbaths mentioned in v. 13. vponupon which they grownd all their arguments, are not the 7th day Sabbath, which is our queſtion; but that they are the yeerly Sabbaths, which neuer came into the morall law, and about which we make no queſtion at all: wherefore, vnleſſe they cane take away theſe anſwers, and proue vntounto v. that by the word Sabbathes in v. 13. is meante the weekly 7. day Sabbath, they are beſids the queſtion; all their labour hath bene in vaine, and all being granted them which this text cane afford them, it will make onelyonly for the aboliſhing of the yeerly Sabbaths, but nothing for the aboliſhing of the 7th day Sabbath: for, ſuppoſe it granted, that the yeerly Sabbaths, in v. 13.14. were ſignes of Sanctification, and Redemption by Chriſt, and therefore aboliſhed; yet it will not follow, that the weekly Sabbath in v. 15.16.17. which was kept in memory of the Creation, and was a ſigne, that God created the world v. 17. muſt alſo be aboliſhed, and ſo much for the formoſt of my generall anſwers.

My other generall anſwer to this text, Exod. 31.13 and te all their arguments hence deduced is this; ſuppoſe we that be p. 343the word Sabbathes in v. 13. is meante the 7th day Sabbath, yet it followeth not that becauſe it is made a ſigne, or a ſigne of Chriſt, that therefore the Sabbath day muſt be aboliſhed: for, we muſt know, that the ſigne of the Sabbath may vaniſh, & yet the Sabbath may remaine ſtill: for the cleering of this, conſider with me, that the Sabbath may be conſidered aboſolutly or relatiuly: abſolutly without any ſigne, or relatiuly with its ſigne: like as an Iuey buſh or the like ſigne hung vp at a Vineteners houſe; you may conſider its abſolute nature, as it is no ſigne, but as it is an Iuey buſh onelyonly; & you may conſider it relatiuely, as it it is a ſigne that wyne is to be ſould at that houſe; & theſe two may be parted; for take downe the Iuey buſh, & then it is no longer a ſigne, it hath loſt its relatiue nature, but yet it is a buſh ſtill, ſo it retaineth its abſolute nature: & thus the Sabbath, it hath an abſolute nature, & it hath a relatiue & ſignifificatiue nature, now theſe two may be parted; for it may leeſe its relatiue nature as a ſigne, & yet retaine its abſolute nature as a Sabbath, iuſt as in the ſimilitude of the Iuey buſh.

But here happily ſome may aske of me, what it is which I cale the abſolute nature of the Sabbath, & what the relatiue nature: To whome I anſwer, I count that to be the abſolute nature of the Sabbath, which is not conſidered typically relatiuly, & ſignificatiuly, euen all, that is to be conſidered in the Sabbath, ouer & beſids its typicall & ſignificatiue nature, that is its abſolute inature: more particularly, the abſolute nature of the Sabbath, tis an holy reſt, vponupon the 7th day, becauſe God reſted vponupon the 7th day, and all this, as commanded by God: in which abſolute nature, are compriſed theſe particulars, 1. a reſt from laboures, 2. a performance of ſacred and holy actiones. 3. that both theſe be done on the 7th day: 4. that theſe three be done in imitation of God, becauſe God reſted on the ſame day, & bleſſed it, and ſanctified it, Exod. 20.11. fiftly, that all theſe be ſo done, becauſe God commanded them, Exod. 20.8.10. theſe 5. things are the abſolute nature of the Sabbath: now for the relatiue nature of the Sabbath, it is whatſoeuer is added vntounto theſe 5. things ſignificatiuly, to ſigne & ſignifie any thing; thus the Sabbath p. 344was made a ſigne of the Creation & of Gods Reſt on the 7th day, at the worlds creation, Exod. 31.17. & thus was the Sabbath made a ſigne alſo of the Redemption, or of Chriſts ſanctification of vsus, as they would hauehave it out, of Exod. 31.13. which being ſuppoſed, the Sabbath had a double relatiue nature, the one to ſignify the Creation as paſt; the other to ſignify the ſanctification of Chriſt as to come: (which double ſigne being conſidered, my inſueing inſtances, might be a litle more diſtinctly carried, but as they are, it may ſuffice to giuegive you a taſte) and thus you hauehave the abſolute nature of the Sabbath declared, and alſo its relatiue or typicall nature.

I come now to ſhew, that the Sabbath may leeſe its typicall nature, & yet it may retaine its abſolute nature: & firſt I ſhall giuegive you inſtances, where things had a double type or ſigne, & the one of them vaniſheing, neuertheleſſe the thing was obſerued ſtill, with a reſpect vntounto the other ſigne that remained.

The firſt inſtance for this purpoſe, ſhall be that Sacrament of Circumciſion, cōſidered as vſed, after the children of Iſrael were come into the land of Canaan: & here we are to note, that circumciſion typed out two things; the one was, that God would giuegive vntounto the Iſraelites the land of Canaan, Geneſ. 17.8. the other was, that God would make Abraham a father of many nationes, Gen. 17.7.4. & that God would be God vntounto Abraham & to his ſeede after him, Geneſ. 17.7. now after that the Iſralits the poſterity of Abrahā were come into the land of Canaan, & did inherit it, then was one of theſe things typed out by circumciſion fulfilled, & then was circumciſion to looſe its relatiue & ſignificatiue nature, as typing out Canaan to come, for it was come, & they were in it; & yet this ſigne of circumciſion remained ſtill in the Church, for many hundreth yeers, & that as hauing reference vntounto the other thing typed out by it, to wit, that God would be God vntounto the ſeede of Abraham, & that hee ſhould be a father of many nationes: thus you ſee, the action of circumciſion remained in the Church ſtill, when one of the antitypes was come: & why then may not the duty of the Sabbath day, remaine ſtill in the Church, after one of its antitypes be come; ſo long as an other of its antitypes is ſtill in force? admit, p. 345the Sabbath was a ſigne of Chriſt to come, and ſo therefore it be no more kept as a type of Chriſt to come; yet may it ſtill be kept in the Church, and ſo for euer, as a type or ſigne of the Creation: for our ages, and ſo all poſterity vntounto the worlds end, may as well keepe the Sabbath as a ſigne of the Creation, as the Iewes and people of God did at any time: Why may not the Sabbath be retained, for one of its antitypes ſake, as well as circumciſion was retained for one of its antitypes ſake?

A ſecond inſtance for this purpoſe, ſhall be that other Sacrament, the Paſſeouer, conſidered as it was vſed after the Angel had ſmitten dead the firſt borne of the Egyptians, and paſſed by the houſen of the Iſralites: and here we are to note as before, that the Paſſeouer was a type or ſigne of two things, the one was, that God would paſſe ouer the houſen of the children of Iſraels, & ſpare them, when at midnight he would deſtroy others. Exod, 12.11.12.13. The other was, that it was a ſigne of Chriſt our Paſſeouer. 1. Cor. 5.7. Now after that the Angell had deſtroyed the firſt borne of the Egyptians, & ſpared the Iſralites, then one of the types of the Paſſeouer was fulfilled; neuertheleſſe, the Paſſeouer was retained in the Church for many hundreth yeeres after; and this was becauſe of the other type which was not then fulfilled:

2 The Paſſeouer cold not be a ſigne, vntounto thoſe Proſelytes who ioyned to the Iewiſh religion, when they were in Canaan, of their deliuerance from the deſtroying Angell, who ſmote all the firſt borne of Egypt; and yet it remained as a ſigne to them, of Chriſt their Paſſeouer to come: theſe Proſelite Gentiles left the Iewes, in that which was proper and peculiar vntounto the Iew, that is, to vſe the Paſſeouer as it was a ſigne of deliuerance obtained by the Iewes onelyonly in Egypt, and ioyned with them in the vſe of the Paſſeouer as it was a ſigne of Chriſt the common Paſſeouer for Iew & Gentile both; ſee Exod. 12.25.26.27. Now ſuppoſe the Sabbath was a ſigne of Chriſt, and therefore aboliſhed in that reſpect, when Chriſt came; yet why may it not remaine ſtill, in that other reſpect, as it is a ſigne of the Creation? if it was ſo with the Paſſeouer, it may be ſo with the Sabbath day: and, if thoſe Proſelites who were Gentiles, did obſerue the Paſſeouer, neglecting ſuch p. 346things therein as were peculiar vntounto the Iewes, imbracing ſuch things onelyonly as were common to the Iewes and Gentiles both, why may not wee Gentiles, lay aſide the typicall quality of the Sabbath, wherein it was peculiar vntounto the Iewes, & imbrace the Sabbath in other reſpectes; and as a ſigne of the Creation, vvherein it vvas common both to Iew and to Gentile?

I come now to giuegive you inſtances of ſignes, vvhere all the typicall & relatiue nature is aboliſhed, and the abſolute nature remayning ſtill. 1. The Rocke in the vvilderneſſe, its abſolute nature was to be of a ſtony ſubſtance &c. And its vſe, for men to vvaſh and beaſtes to drink at: Now this Rocke vvas made a ſigne of Chriſt: For, they dranke of the ſpirituall Rocke that followed them, and the Rocke was Chriſt. 1. Cor. 10.4. ſo this Rocke vvas a Sacramentall ſigne: now vvhen Chriſt vvas come (if not longe before) this Rocke ceaſed to be a ſigne of Chriſt any longer, and ſo it loſt its relatiue and ſignificatiue nature; but yet it ceaſed not to be a Rocke ſtill, and of a ſtonie ſubſtance &c. And to be vſefull for men to vvaſh and beaſts to drink at, it kept its abſolute nature: and ſo, if the Sabbath be no longer a ſigne, yet it may be a Sabbath ſtill, and all thoſe 5 dueties which are the abſolute nature, forementioned, they may remaine ſtill: ſuppoſe therefore that they could proue, that all ſignes are aboliſhed, or that all ſignes of Chriſt are aboliſhed, yet it vvould neuer follow, that the Sabbath is aboliſhed, any further forth then as it vvas a ſigne; it could leeſe but its relatiue and typicall quality, like as the Iuey buſh doth, vvhen it is pulled downe; then it is no longer a ſigne, but a buſh it is ſtill; and ſo a Sabbath it is ſtill; for its abſolute nature may remaine ſtill, to vvit, 1. Its reſt 2. its holy performāces, 3. On the 7th day. 4. Becauſe God did theſe things, on the ſame day. 5. Becauſe God commāded them.

A 2d inſtance may be this, the Bridgroome vvas made a type of Chriſt, as vve reade eueryevery vvhere in the booke of the Canticles, & Ioh. 3.29. Reuel. 19.7. ſo the Shepheard vvas made a ſigne of Chriſt Ioh. 10.11. and yet the death of Chriſt, hath not aboliſhed theſe relationes; for vve hauehave Bridgroomes and Shepheards ſtill.

A 3d inſtance may be that of forbidden meates: vve reade of certaine meates forbidden to be eaten by the law, as vncleane Leuit. 11.5.6.7. as the Cony, the Hare, and the Swine: now theſe p. 347were made ſignes and Shaddowes of Chriſt, Col. 2.16.17. But Chriſt being come, theſe beaſtes ceaſed to be vncleane, and to be ſignes of Chriſt any longer Act. 10.14.15.12.13. Col. 2.16.17. ſo, then they loſt their ſignificatiue nature, but yet the ſame beaſtes loſt not their abſolute nature ſo ſoone as Chriſt was come; for theſe beaſtes were the ſame in nature and kind the which they were before, the Hare was an Hare ſtill, the Cony a Cony ſtill &c. And why may it not be ſo with the Sabbath day alſo? it may be a Sabbath, though not a typicall Sabbath: or, the fleſh of the Hare, Cony, and Swine, may ſtill be refrained, in a politicall reſpect, as in Lent time; or in a Religiouſe reſpect, as in a faſting day: and why then may not the Sabbath day be aboliſhed as a ſigne? and yet remaine ſtill, as a ſacred time for Gods worſhip? for the forbearance of theſe meates, was as much a type, as euer was the Sabbath day, & yet we may and doe forbeare them ſtill: why then I ſay may we not ſtill retaine the Sabbath, albeit it was a type? may we not aſwell obſerue the Sabbath now, which was a type, as forbeare thoſe meates now, which forbearance was a type?

Here I muſt craue leaue of my reader, to make a ſhort digreſſion, by way of defence of this laſt inſtance; you ſee I cale the Swine a ſhaddow of Chriſt: this phraſe is exceedingly diſtaſted of ſome: by name M. Chappel, vndertaking to confute ſome things in my former booke publikly, tooke hold of this for one, and in reprochfull manner ſaid, this Author makes the Swine a ſigne of Chriſt, a Swineiſh argument, quoth hee: which check was receiued by his auditory with greate applauſe, inſomuch as it hath bene runge in myne eares, & caſt in my teeth ſondry times, by diuerſe men, what a ſwineiſh argument, I vſed: now for the cleering of my ſelfe, ſee my former booke on the Sabbath, at pag. 146. where I did affirme the ſwine to be a Shaddow of Christ, & I proued it there by Leuit. 11.5.6.7. Col. 2.16.17. now that it is ſo, this text of S. Pauls will beare me out; for hee ſaith that meate was a ſhaddow of things to come, but the body is of Chriſt: where S. Paul maketh meates to be ſhaddowes of Chriſt, as well as holy daies, new moones, & Sabbaths, as you may ſee in the text: now what meates, were ſhaddowes, but p. 348the prohibited meates, forbidden to be eaten vnderunder the Law? & what meates find you in the Law forbidden to be eaten, but theſe the Hare, the Cony, & the Swine, as you may read Leuit. 11.5.6.7. ſo then, theſe forbidden meates, the Hare, the Cony, & the Swine, were theſe which Paul counteth to be ſhaddowes of Chriſt: why then M. Chappell, may not I hauehave leaue to ſay, the Swine was a ſhadow of Chriſt, as well as S. Paul? & why ſhould you make me a ſcorne, and a bye word, vntounto your auditory, & diſdained in the minds of honeſt and well minded people? for ought I can ſee you might aſwell hauehave ſaid the ſame words reprochfully of S. Paul, as of me, taxing him to hauehave vſed a Swiniſh argument: This your errour M. Chappell is by ſo much the greater, in that when you vttered theſe words, you preached out of this very text, the which I vſed in my booke, to proue that the Swine amongſt the reſt, was a Shaddow of Chriſt, to wit, Col. 2.16.17. now had you but well & rightly vnderſtod your owne text out of which you then preached, you would neuer hauehave accuſed me for vſeing of a Swiniſh argumēt. for it is your very text, that beareth me out in caling the Hare, Cony, & Swine ſhaddowes of Chriſt: and ſo I returne whence I came.

A 4th inſtance ſhall be that which my aduerſaries will aſſent vntounto: for they ſay the Reſt in the Sabbath day, is a type of the reft in the Kingdome of Heauen, Heb. 4. & a ſigne of Chriſt, Exod. 31.13. Col. 2.16. & yet they hold the ſame Reſt to be morall & ſtill in force: & why then may not the 7th day, be aboliſhed as a type, and yet remaine as a ſacred time for Gods worſhip, & as a time to exerciſe mercy in towards poore ſeruants, by releaſing them from their laboures wherein they hauehave bene ſpent the 6. daies before? why I ſay may not the time remaine ſtill, as it is an helpe and a furtherance vntounto thoſe morall dueties of reſt, & the worſhip of God? it is to be wondered at, to ſee men goe about to reiect & aboliſh ſuch things as were, are in themſelues, and may be helpes & furtherances of Morall dueties.

A 5th inſtance ſhall be the feaſt of Pentecost or Whit-Sunday, which was a Iewiſh feaſt day or Sabbath day, as you may read p. 349in Leuit. 23.15.16.21. & it was alſo a ſigne, or Shadow of Chriſt to come, as you may ſee, Col. 2.16.17. & ſo it was aboliſhed: neuertheleſſe, we Christians doe keepe this feaſt day, & ſanctify it as a Sabbath day once eueryevery yeere; for as Peter did preach vponupon the day of Pentecoſt, Act. 2.1.14. ſo doeth our Church vponupon Whit-ſunday; onelyonly we hauehave caſt of that ſhaddowiſh reſpect which it had amongſt the Iewes, of being a ſigne of Chriſt to come: wherefore, by the conſtant practiſe of our Church, it appeareth, that a Iewiſh ceremoniall day, may be retained in our Church, ſo be the ceremonies of it be reiected: if then pentecoſt, a ceremoniall feaſt or Sabbath day, may be retained in a Chriſtiā Church, why may not the 7th day Sabbath alſo be retained amongſt vsus? yea if it could be proued a ſigne of Chriſt to come: thus by this inſtance you ſee, that a Sabbath day may remaine, after its ſignificatiue nature or quality be vaniſhed.

Thus I hauehave finiſhed my two generall anſwers, the former, ſhewing that the 7th day Sabbath, is not ſpoken of in their text, Exod. 31.13. but onelyonly the yeerly Sabbaths: the latter, ſhewing that if the 7th day Sabbath were ſpokē of in their text, Ex. 31.13 yet no more is aboliſhed of this Sabbath, but its ſignificatiue & typicall quality; but the abſolute nature of the Sabbath, conſiſting of thoſe 5 things foremētioned, may ſtill remaine, to wit, 1. reſt, 2. holy dueties, 3. on the 7th day, 4. becauſe God reſted on this 7th day, & ſanctified it. 5. becauſe God commanded theſe thinges.

My third generall anſwer (that I may defēd the morall Law, with eueryevery thing therin commanded vntounto a iot and title; and ſhune thoſe foule and many abſurdeties, which my aduerſaries rune into) is this: the Sabbath may be conſidered naturally & orginally, & ſo I deny it was any ſigne: for the ſigne was not put into the 4th com. much leſſe to its firſt inſtitution, Gen. 2.3. or it may be conſidered accidentally & aduentitiouſly, and ſo it became a ſigne after its inſtitution, as in Exod. 31.13. ſo as the ſigne, was but accidentall and extrinſecall to the Sabbath; it being added to it many hundreth yeeres after its prime inſtitution; and I know not how long after its promulgation on Mount Sinay: in this latter ſenſe I yeeld it aboliſhed, but in the p. 350former, I deny it: for as the Rocke after it loſt its typicalneſſe, it ſtill remained a Rocke; ſo may the Sabbath; after Chriſt had aboliſhed its typicalneſſe, which was affixed to it, it may ſtill remaine a Sabbath, as it was originally at its prime inſtitution; it may remaine ſtill, as a Sacred time for Gods worſhip, & as a fit time to refreſh mā & beaſt in, ſpent with former 6 daies labour.

Thus much for anſwer vntounto this their text, Exod. 31.13. wherein we hauehave bene the larger, becauſe they ſtand ſo much vponupon it, as one of their ſtrongeſt fortes and ſuereſt houldes, but how weake you ſee: there remaineth now but one text more of theirs to anſwer, and it is a maine and chiefe one alſo, it followeth in this next ſection.