A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 5 · Commentary · Section 3 · Argument 15 – Argument 16
ARGUM. XV.
My 15th. argument in defence of the Saturday Sabbath is, that it muſt be morall: becauſe if you aboliſh the Sabbath day by the Scriptures, you muſt alſo by the Scriptures aboliſh the law of the Sabbath day, which is the 4th commandement, and thus I argue.
Jf by the interpretation of the Scriptures, you aboliſh the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath; then by the interpretacion of the Scriptures, muſt you alſo aboliſh the Law of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath, which is the 4th com,
But no man may by the interpretation of the Scriptures, aboliſh the law of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath, which is the 4th commandement.
Therefore no man may by the interpretation of the Scriptures, aboliſh the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath.
For the Minor, it is out of queſtion: for eueryevery man granteth, that the law of the Sabbath, the 4th com. is morall; and that it were horrible impiety to aboliſhed it, any more then to aboliſh any of the reſt of the Decalogue: and how be it they ſay, that ſomething in this Law is aboliſhed, as the time of the 7th day, yet as for the Law, it retaineth its commanding and binding force ſtill as they doe confeſſe: I come therefore vntounto the Major, to proue the conſequence thereof.
How beit the point is cleere enough of it ſelfe, yet ſuch is the enmity of men to Gods Sabbaths, as rather then they will imbrace them, they will queſtion any cleere trueth: for whats more cleere then this, take away the thing (yea any thing) commanded in a Law, and take away the Law thereof? take away the Sabbath day, commanded in the 4th com. and you take away the 4th com. alſo? there are many lawes in the old Teſtament, which are now aboliſhed; let my aduerſaries ſhew me any one of them, wherein any thing once commanded, was aboliſhed, but that that Law it ſelfe alſo was aboliſhed: if then it be the conſtant interpretation of Scriptures, to iudge when a thing commanded in a Law is aboliſhed, that then that Law is aboliſhed, then ſo it muſt be in this caſe alſo: take away the Sabbath day, & take away the Law of the Sabbath day, for example.
There was a Law made touching the difference of Meates, Leuit. 11. Now the Apoſtle ſhewing vsus, that the difference of meates is taken away, Coloſ. 2.16. hence we conclud, that not onelyonly that difference of meates is taken away but alſo that law, which commanded that difference of meates is taken away: Againe, there was a Law for the obſeruation of New-Moones Numb. 28.11. which was to ſanctify the firſt day of eueryevery monethmonth: Now the Apoſtle ſhewing vsus, that thoſe New-Moones are aboliſhed, Coloſ. 2.16. hence we conclud, that that Law of the New-Moones is aboliſhed alſo. Againe, there were diuers Lawes made, for the keeping holy of diuerſe anniuerſary Sabbaths, Leuit. 23.7.21.24.32.35.39. now the Apoſtle ſhewing vsus, that thoſe yeerly Sabbaths, are all aboliſhed, Coloſ. 2.16. hence we gather, that together with the abolition of thoſe Sabbaths, all thoſe lawes made for thoſe Sabbaths, are aboliſhed alſo, it is cleere therefore, that if you aboliſh the weekly Sabbath, which is Saturday the 7th day, you muſt alſo from thoſe Scriptures by which you aboliſh it, aboliſh alſo the Law of it, which is the 4th com.
A ſecond reaſon J take from Coloſ. 2.14.16. where the Apoſtle aboliſhing thoſe yeerly Sabbaths in v. 16. doth alſo aboliſh the Lawes of thoſe yeerly Sabbaths in v. 14. & that vnderunder the name of hand-writting of ordinances, ſhewing how Chriſt vponupon the croſſe did put out, and aboliſhed this hand writting of ordinances, that is thoſe Lawes & ordinances, of thoſe many yeerly Sabbaths; whence I thus argue, if by this 16th verſe of Coloſ. 2. you will aboliſh the weekly Saturday 7th day Sabbath, then muſt you by the 14th verſe of Coloſ. 2. aboliſh alſo that Law, handwriting, & ordinance of the 4th com. which belonged to, & was made for the weekly Sabbath day: for, looke what Sabbath daies you include in v. 16. The Lawes of thoſe Sabbath daies, you muſt include in v. 14. & ſo aboliſh them: for it is plai…e that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh no larger in v. 16. then in verſ. 14. he condemnes no Sabbaths in v. 16. but ſuch whoſe Lawes be aboliſhed in v. 14. & thus you ſee it cleerly proued, that take away Gods Sabbath, & yee take away the Law of Gods Sabbath, which is the 4th com.
Here by the way note, that ſince Anti-Sabbatharians will hauehave nothing in the 4th com. morall but the dueties of Reſt & Holy exerciſes, therefore let them know, they ſhall hauehave no Law for theſe dueties; they ſhall not preſſe to the practiſe of theſe dueties by any Law: for in that they will hauehave the 7th day Sabbath a ceremony, & included in the text, Col. 2.16. thereby they hauehave aboliſhed the Law of the dueties of Reſt & holy exerciſes, by Coloſ. 2 14. & then their Lords day Sabbath ſhall be a lawleſſe Sabbath; & the dueties of the time & Reſt, & holy exerciſes ſhall be lawleſſe dueties.
But hereto it will be āſwered, in the 4th cō. is two things inyoined, the du…ies of reſt & holy exerciſes, & the time; now though the time be aboliſhed, as a ceremony, yet ſo long as the dueties of reſt, and holy exerciſes, which are morall, remaine, the 4th com. may be aboliſhed as touching the time, but not as touching the other dueties of Reſt and holy exerciſes. But how abſurd this anſwer is, appeareth. 1. In that it canno… be ſhowne (as hath bene ſaid) that euer any thing commanded in any of God lawes, hath bene aboliſhed, but the Law it ſelfe alſo hath bene aboliſhed: it is therefore a growndleſſe fiction, to imagine any of Gods lawes to be aboliſhed in parte, & yet to remaine in parte. 2. The abſurdety of this anſwer appeareth in this, that by the ſame anſwer, they may retaine in the Church ſtill, all theſe aboliſhed Lawes of the New-Moones & of theſe yeerly Sabbaths before ſpoken of, ſaying, that in theſe new-Moones, and yeerly Sabbaths there were two things inyoined, the duties of reſt, and holy exerciſes, & the times; now though theſe times be aboliſhed, & ſo thoſe commandements as touching theſe times; yet thoſe commandements may all remaine ſtill, as touching the dueties of reſt, and holy exerciſes: by this kind of abſurd anſwer therefore you ſee, we may ſtill hold all thoſe aboliſhed ceremoniall Lawes, to be of vſe in the Church ſtill & morall. I conclude therefore take away the time & 7th day, and take away alſo the Law of the time and 7th day, which is the Law of the 4th commandement.
ARGVM. XVI.
My 16th argument in defence of Gods Sabbaths is, that the time, to wit, the 7th day, muſt be morall and perpetuall; or elſe thoſe dueties performed in that time by the 4th com. to wit, reſt from labour, and holy exerciſes, theſe muſt be ceremoniall and aboliſhed: as in the former argument we hauehave proued, that if they aboliſh the 7th day, they aboliſh alſo the Law of the 4th com. ſo in this we ſhall proue, that if they a boliſh the 7th day, they doe alſo aboliſh the dueties inioyned in the Law of the 4th cō. and ſo farrewell Law & dueties both: Thus I argue.
If by direction from the Scriptures, you make the time, to wit, that 7th day in the 4th com. ceremoniall and aboliſhed; then muſt you by the ſame direction, make thoſe dueties performed in that time, to wit, reſt from laboures, & religiouſe exerciſes, ceremoniall & aboliſhed alſo.
But noe man will make thoſe dueties of reſt, & religiouſe exerciſes, ceremoniall & aboliſhed.
Therefore may no man make that time of the 7th day in the 4th com. ceremoniall & aboliſhed.
As for the Minor it is gaine ſaid by none. J come therefore to the Maior, the conſequence whereof J proue to be ſound, from the practiſe of the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture, who, whē he aboliſheth the day & time once commanded, he thereby inferreth, the abolition alſo, of thoſe dueties to be done in that day and time.
For example, on the firſt day of eueryevery monethmonth, which was their New moone, the Iſralites were bound to reſt from laboures Amos 8.5. & to be conuerſant about religiouſe exerciſes ij. king. 4.23. now whē the Holy Ghoſt did put an end to theſe dueties, he did onelyonly mention the time & day, as, Let no man condemne you in reſpect of the New mone, Coloſ. 2.16. Gal. 4.10. and by abolition of the time, hee inferred the abolition of thoſe dueties alſo performed in that time. Againe, the Iſralites had many yeerly Sabbaths, wherein they were to reſt from labour, & to be conuerſant in holy dueties, as you may reade at large, Leuit. 23. now when the Holy Ghoſt would put an end to theſe dueties he did onelyonly mention the time & day as, yee obſerue times, and daies, and yeeres &c. Gal. 4.10. Rom. 14.5. Coloſ. 2.16. and by his abolition of the times and daies, he inferred the abolition alſo, of thoſe dueties of reſt, & holy exerciſes performed in thoſe times, now this practiſe of the holy Ghoſt, giueth vsus to vnderſtand, that where the time is aboliſhed, there thoſe dueties vſually performed in that time, are aboliſned alſo: wherfore, if you will aboliſh the time and day, to wit, the Iewiſh Sabbath day (as ſome call it) then if you will fetch light from the Scriptures, you muſt learne of the Holy Ghoſt, to aboliſh alſo thoſe Iewiſh dueties, of reſt, & religiouſe exerciſes, performed in that day and Iewiſh time.
Thus you ſee, vnleſſe you hold the old Sabbath day morall, you cannot hold the dueties of a Sabbath morall: & if you condemne the time & day for a ceremony, you muſt alſo relinguiſh thoſe dueties which you would faine hauehave be morall.