A Defense of the Sabbath Day, To the reader
To the Godly and well affected Reader.
KNowing (dearly beloued and Chriſtian Reader) that as there ought to be, ſo there is, a propenſity and Holy inclination, in all who are truly Gods, to hauehave a reſpect, generally & vniuerſally, vntounto all his Commandements; to one as well as to an other, without exceptions & reſeruations: To auoide all ſuperſtition and will-worſhip: and to giuegive vntounto God, his owne worſhip and ſeruice, preſcribed in his Laws, without baulking and abridging him, of any parte thereof; I iudged therfore, that this diſcourſe, in defence of the Sabbath day, which is one maine thing, preſcribed in Gods Commandements, and a parte of Gods worſhip & ſeruice, could not be vnwelcome to thee, Calling to minde alſo, the Parable of our Sauiour, how ſeuerly he will deale with that ſeruant, vntounto whom he deliuereth but one ſingle Talent, if he hide it vp in ſecret, ſo as no proffit come thereof Mat. 25.24. Remembring alſo, that our Sauiour, made it an eſſentiall marke, of Peters louelove vntounto him, to feede his Lambes, Ioh. 21.15. And, that it is giuen in charge vntounto all, To exhorte one an other, to admoniſh one another, & to edify one an other 1. Theſ. 5.11.15. Theſe things, laid before myne eyes, I could not for louelove, nor durſt I for feare, but make knowne my minde in this point.
How could my Spirit, be but ſtirred within me, to ſee my Chriſtian betheren, the Church and Spowſe of Chriſt, to lay in the weekly neglect, of Gods worſhip, profanation of his Sacred Sabbathes, and tranſgreſſion of the 4th Commandement; when in the meane time, they zealouſly & ſuperſtitiouſly, tender vntounto God, their will-worſhip, of the Lords day Sabbath? how could I but diſcouer theſe things! eſpecially when but the Alteration and chang of a day, as the ſanctification of the Saturday for the Sunday; might helpe all this. In the dayes of Iſaiah the Prophet, the Church of God, had profaned the Lords Sabbathe; Iſai. 58.13. and the Lord gaue him in charge, to Crie aloude, ſpare not; lifte vp thy voice like a trumpet, & ſhow my people their tranſgreſſion, & to the houſe of Iaakob their ſinne &c. Iſai. 58, 1. It is the duetie therfore, of Gods Miniſters, to tell his people of their ſinne; and the people and Church of God, muſt with patience heare it, & with cheerefulneſſe reforme it: for which happy Reformation, I make my prayers vntounto God, that when they aſſemble next in Parliament, they may make this one of their maine Conſultations; to cauſe a ſerch to be made, both into the Scriptures, & into the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories & Records of the Church; to ſee, what grownds can be found, for the Lords day Sabbath; & to make alſo, a diligent inquiry, after the Lords ancient Sabbathes, to ſee whats become of them; and when, & vponupon what grownds they where firſt throwne downe; that ſo, the errours of our Fathers, may be reformed, in vsus their children. Th…s you hauehave the reaſons mouing me to wright.
As I had many & ſufficient reaſons mouing me to wright, ſo I mett with many & ſondry diſcouragments; for ſome, yea Miniſters, who of all others, one would thinke, ſhould iudge moſt charitablie of their brethren, ☞they enter into my heart, & ſay, it is pride and ſingularity, that ſets me on worke &c: And this once broched by a Miniſter, it runneth alſo from the mouthes of their people continually: now albeit, I hauehave profeſſed & proteſted in priuate, vntounto ſuch Miniſters, the contrary; & that after a diligent ſerch of myne hearte, as I have teld them, yet nothing will ſatiſfy them, but pride it muſt be though. Well, once againe I anſwer them, & that in the words of S. Paul, Though I know nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not thereby iuſtified, Tis true indeed, The hearte is deceiptfull &c. Ierem. 17. as ſoone therfore as I can find this haughtineſſe ariſing, I will labour its mortification, God aſſiſting. But whats this to the purpoſe, among wiſe men? ſay hee be a proude perſon, & that pride creepeth in, as it will to a mans beſt actions, too too often; is his cauſe therfore ſtarke naught? then many a lerned, and elegant ſermon ſhould be reiected; and many a zelouſe Sermon, of no worth: but thus it is with many of them, that vnleſſe a man can ſo Maſter his vnderſtanding, & captiuate his iudgement, as to ſay what they ſay for company; & out of a reuerence to their perſons & giftes, to affirme with them, that all is Gods Sacred trueth, which they fancy about the Lords day Sabbath, though hee can ſee no ſuch matter, but the cleane contrary, yet …ee muſt be branded for a proude perſon: but with patience, I ſhall labour to beare them: ſelfeloue is ſtronge; and ſelfedeniall hard.
Some obiect to me ſaying, you are but one; and the Lords day Sabbath hath ſtoode thus a long time; and the moſt are of a contrary iudgement to you; neuer think you to reforme it, I neuer looke to ſee it altered in my dayes &c. To which carnall reaſonings I anſwer, ſhould a faithfull Miniſter in his Charge, be diſcouraged with ſuch arguings, what Miniſter might not forbeare the pulpit? let him preach for repentance, almes deedes, chaſtity, ſobriety, or ſelfedentiall &c: and may not many in his Congregation, tell him, that hee is bat one, and they hauehave liued otherwiſe a longe time; and many, yea Miniſters will doe as they doe; and therefore neuer let him thinke to reforme them &c? who could think wiſe men, ſhould argue thus vnwiſely? and yet theſe eares of myne, hauehave heard theſe arguments vſed by Chriſtians, in other points, of no ordenary vnderſtanding. But let theſe know, that a good cauſe, hath not at all times, good ſucceſſe: I hauehave laboured in vaine; I hauehave ſpent my ſtrength for naught: but my iudgment is with the Lord, and my worke with my God, ſaith the Prophete, Iſai. 49.4. A Miniſter therfore, muſt goe on with courage, ☜though he ſeeth no fruite of his labours; for his reward, is with God.
Some miſlike the vnceaſonableſſe of this motion; & they could wiſh in their hearts (they ſay) I had tarried longer, & waited for ſome more ceaſonable opportunity, for the diuulging of theſe points. To whom I anſwer, Gods truethes, may not waite attendance, till men be at leiſure to receiue them: and why not now, as well as hereafter? vnleſſe theſe men thinke, theſe times, ſo deſperatly euill, as thers no hope left, that they will giuegive eare vntounto wholeſome Doctrine. But my feare is, that their ſeaſon, is whē I am out of ſeaſon, after my death, and ſo they hope, the point ſhould dye with mee; but I hauehave peuented them: I am by the mercy of God, neither ſo afraid, nor ſo aſhamed of Gods cauſe, as to deny it my beſt furtherance & countenance, in my life time: were I aſhamed of God & this, Trueth before men, I might iuſtly ſuſſpect, that God wold be aſhamed of ſuch a ſeruāt, before his Angels in heauē.
Some ſay, that there are others in the Church, in many regards more fit then I, for a matter of this weight; and therefore they could wiſh, that I had neuer ſtirred in it; for now I hauehave marred the cauſe quite and cleane, by my meanneſſe &c. Tis true indeede, & I freely confeſſe it, there are many much more fit then I; and I hartely wiſh it, that any of them had taken my place & labour: but this wee know, that the moſt fit and able men, to doe God ſeruice they are not euer the moſt redy and willing to doe it: had it bene a point, the reuealing whereof, might hauehave wone credit, applauſe, preferment and the like, I beleeue, you had heard of it long err now: but it being a point, of much and hard laboures, & the reward, like to be nothing but danger, reproch, and heard cenſures; and like to meete with greate enemies & many; in ſuch a point, wiſe men will take leiſure, and giuegive any body leaue to goe before them. What hope could I hauehave, that others of better, worth, would vndertake this taſke, when as before I publiſhed my former booke, many men, of greate lerning & conſcience, to whom I communicated my Notes, for confirmation or confutation, they did neither; but rather turned my vtter enemies, for this cauſe ſake? wherefore I was not raſh, as ſome men count raſhlineſſe, but after I had waited, as Elihu did, vponupon the auncient and more lerned, & found no courage in their heartes, nor word in their mouthes, to ſpeake for God; then I ſpake in my turne, & ſhewed myne opinion: let no man blame my zeale; it was for God.
Tis true, the meanneſſe of my perſon, will be a greate blocke in the way, to the progreſſe of this cauſe; eſpecially in theſe clyming dayes, wherein the word of God, is ſo much receiued, with reſpect of perſons; for men eſteeme of the cauſe, iuſt as they doe of the perſon: hence it is, that before many will giuegive audience to the matter, they will firſt know of the man; as, whither he be one of their ſide or no, & approued of by them: and whither learned, witty, eloquent, and well red, or no: or whither honoured with Titles, eminency, and preferment or no: in ſo much as, if the Prophet Amos were now liuing, and teaching Gods trueth, it is to be feared, his booke of prophecy, would not be regarded, being he was a Neat-heard: and if S. Paul, were now to preach the new doctrine of the goſpell, it may be thought, it would not be entertained, he being a Tayler or Tentmaker: But where are thoſe Noble Bereanes, who ſerched the Scriptures, and examined the cauſe, without regard had to Pauls perſon? where is that Eloquent and lerned Apollos, that gaue heed vntounto the inſtructions, and matter which Aquilla, and Priſcilla his wife, taught him; of whom he lerned the way of God more perfectly, without reſpect vntounto their perſones? for the one was a woman that taught him; and both, were Taylers of Tentmakers: If therefore A Trueth, fareth the worſe, for the meanneſſe of the Author, it ſhall be ſo, but at the hands onelyonly of ſuch perſons, as doe not vnfeinedly deſire the ſincere milke of the word, that they may growe thereby, as did thoſe Noble Bereanes; and it ſhall be ſo, but at the hands onelyonly of ſuch whoſe lerning is not ſanctified, and ſeaſoned with Humility, as Apollos his was.
Some obiect, that the broching of this point, will breed ſtirres, and diſtractions in the Church &c. To whom I anſwer, tis a trueth they ſay: when euer entred any new Trueth, or was, any old Trueth receiued, but it came in with ſtirres and diſtractions at the firſt? It fareth in theſe caſes, as it doth with phiſicke, which a ſikly man takes to recouer his health; at firſt, it makes him ſicker then he was before, it cauſeth him pains in his belly, head, & heart &c: and albeit the pacient know all this before hand, yet will he take this potion, in hope of a more perfect health afterwards: and ſo I truſt will it be in this caſe: though for the preſent, it occationeth ſtirres, diſtractions, & diſtempers; yet, it will be ſo onelyonly, in the minds of ſome ſuch, as doe abound with euill humores: neuertheleſſe, the concluſion will be good, by the mercy of God; & a more perfect health will be obtained. When Luther firſt ſtirred, to reforme the ſecond Commandement, there was then greate ſtirres and diſtractions in the Church, but by this time, and long agone; there hath bene a ſweete accorde, & that vponupon better conditions then formerly: and why may wee not hope for like ſucceſſe? I mary ſay ſome ſcoffingly, and we ſhall hauehave an other Luther now, ſhall we? what will you proue an other Luther now? ſuch a diſdainfull, enuiouſe, & ſcoffing age we now liue in that, that which ſhold be a mans greateſt honour, as to imitate the moſt virtuouſe; it is wreſted, as a matter of his reproch & deriſion: in other caſes, we deſire to iuſtifie our actions, by the like actions, of the godly and wiſe that hauehave gone before vsus, and to make vſe of them for our incouragement, and why ſhould I onelyonly be denied this benefit? I pray tell me, is it not a laudable thing, for any to become followers of Luther, Caluîne, Zwinglius? of Paul, Peter, Chriſt? When euer I propound examples to my ſelfe, they ſhall euer be the beſt, and moſt eminent; let theſe ſcoffers imitate the worſt: for ſo they doe, they are the ſonnes of ſcoffing Iſhmael. Were it an infallible note of pride, to imitate the moſt excellent, Paul would neuer hauehave exhorted vsus, to become followers of him as he was of Chriſt: Neither could Chriſtians be accounted humble men, becauſe they doe imitate Chriſt.
Some obiect thus, I but you doe not diſcreetly, to publiſh this point, whereby it comes to the peoples knowledge; rather ſhould a drope of blood, hauehave gone from my heart, then ſuch a point as this, vntounto common people: you ſhould rather hauehave imparted it vntounto Diuines in priuate, and diſcuſſed it with them onelyonly &c. Hereto I anſwer, this obiection of ſome Diuines, it is no better then a faire flouriſh, whereby vnderunder a c lour of diſcretion, they would hauehave ſilenced, and buried this Trueth euerlaſtingly. For if they could hauehave tied me, by the rules of this their diſcretion, to hauehave made knowne this point, onelyonly vntounto Miniſte…s, they then know waies enough, how to ſmother it, ſo as it ſhould neuer hauehave come to light, and ſo as the people, poore ſoules, ſhould neuer hauehave heard of it.
Indeed. I iudged it diſcretion, firſt to make tender of it to Miniſters, before I printed, to the viewe of common people; and ſo I did; for I ſent my Notes a broad, to ſondry Diuines of the beſt ranke, both nere and afarr off, expecting their confutation or confirmation, but I obtained neither: In caſe they had anſwered me, by way of confirmation, then my reſolution was, to hauehave bene further counſailed by them as touching the publiſhing of it; as whither by my ſelfe; or rather by ſome more eminent & able perſon of their chooſing: and touching the time, when? whither preſently, or rather hereafter: and for the perſones, to whom? whither generally vntounto all, or rather vntounto ſome eminent perſons of the Kingdome; and the like. But expecting longe their anſweres, which diuers of them promiſed, though they performed not; and waiting 10 or 12 monethes, and finding nothing but delaies, and foording me off ſtill; hereby I ſuſpected, that this their counſaile of diſcretion, was but a dry morſell to ſtay my ſtomake withall for the preſent, and nothing elſe but a fained thing; deuiſed handſomly to make mee beleeue on the one ſide, that, that they meant ſeriouſly and faithfully, to hauehave taken the matter into their conſideration, had not I bene ſo raſh in publiſhing it, which they neuer meant, as all experience euen to this day ſheweth: for both my Notes then, and my Booke ſince, hauehave neuer bene anſwered by them by way of confutation; nor approued of them, by way of confirmation. And on the other ſide, to hauehave kept this Trueth ſecret, from the peoples knowledge: and this of the twaine indeed, is that they chiefly aime at: it is moſt grieuouſe vntounto them, that common people, ſhould eſpie their errours: as for their owne conſciences, many of them are large enough (as I hauehave experience, to my exceding greate ſorrow of heart) to brooke the ſuperſtitiouſe, and ignorant obſeruation, of the Lords day Sabbath; and to neglect the worſhip of God, in the 7th day Sabbath: they could digeſt theſe things, and ſet downe with them, good quietly, prouided no body might ſee this their blind ignorance, & halting with God; but this is that which toucheth to the quicke with them; that ſince my publication of this Trueth, and diſcouery of their errour, now they cannot halt in ſecret; now common people, ſee thers no grownds for the Lords day Sabbath; now their pariſhoners & others, can anſwer their arguments; and ſee their folly and leu…ty; and how a long time they hauehave bene carried in a golding dreame. Well, when I ſaw that Miniſters ſleited Gods Trueth, then I reſolued to turne me, and open my ſelfe vntounto the people, truſting to finde more fidelity & ſincerity among them: if therfore it griueth them, that the people know of it ſooner then they would, let them thank themſelues, for ſleiting of it, when tendered vntounto them; and for their attempts to ſmother it &c. For ſome of them hauehave ſaid vntounto me, when I hauehave moued them in it moſt ceriouſly, what thinke you, wee hauehave nothing elſe to doe, but to liſten to your toies?
Others obiect ſaying, if I would hauehave wrote in controuercy, I ſhold hauehave wrote againſt Papiſts, as Bellarmine, & the like, againſt a forraine enemy &c. To whom I anſwer, thers more neede to deale at home, then a broad: eueryevery man flies vponupon A Papiſt: for the controuercy is made eaſy by the many helpes of our lerned writers; & becauſe it is applauded at all hands, ſo as a man may be a gainer by the controuercy: But fewe or none will medle, to redreſſe things at home: for theſe are not onelyonly hard & difficult, requiring much ſtudy & greate labours conſidering none hauehave gone before to giuegive them light; but alſo, a man may eaſily foreſee it, hee ſhall be a loſer by the bargaine: wherby you may eaſily gather, that homebred euiles, are more perillouſe, and like to ſtick longe by vsus, without reformation: now by how much the fewer will vndertake them, by ſo much the better ſeruice he doth vntounto God, that will aduenture himſelfe in them: for this is that I aime at, not to pleaſe men, but him that hath called me, and betruſted me with one of his Talents; my chiefe deſire now is, that I may improue it, not which way my ſelfe may beſt gaine credit, wealth, and preferment, but that way whereby I may wine moſt glorie, to my chiefe Lord and Maſter. Let none thinke me ſo ignorant, but that I know well enough, which is the way to riſe in the world, were that the thing I ſhort at; and I know right well, that whilſt I am in this argument, I am cleane out of that way: but with Moſes, I hauehave a reſpect vntounto the Recompenſe of reward.
Some of them obiect vntounto me, that by ſtiring in this point, I ſhall incenſe the State, and the Byſhopes will moleſt me &c. To whom I anſwer, thats the thing indeed would much pleaſe them, that the Governement of the Kingdome, would oppoſe mee, & ſo much they intimate, by their much wondering, that I am ſo long ſuffered in quiet &c: for ſince they cannot defend the phantaſy of the Lords day Sabbath, by the Scriptures, and ſword of the Spirit, now they long for the aide of the ſword of the Magiſtrate, wondering it tarrieth ſo long erre it will aueng them: but had I their cauſe in hand, I would be aſhamed, to deſire aide from the ſword of the Magiſtrate, when the word of God, and ſword of the Spirit, refuſeth to help: firſt let them ſoundly anſwer, & confute my booke, and then let them flie to the Magiſtrat and ſpare not. I know well, that things tending to changes and alterations, are not pleaſing vntounto Statſmen, vnleſſe in caſe moſt weighty, and of vrgent neceſſity, of which kind, I truſt they will Iudge this to be, after they hauehave once taken it, into their graue and iudiciouſe conſiderations. The ſoundneſſe and cleerneſſe of this my cauſe, giueth me good hope, that God will inlighten them with it, & ſo incline their hearts vntounto mercy; but if not, ſince I verily beleeue and know it to be a Trueth; and my duety, not to ſmother it, and ſuffer it to dye with mee, I hauehave aduentured to publiſh it, & to defend it, ſaying with Quene Aeſter, If I periſh, I periſh: and with the Apoſtle Paul, I paſse not at all, neither is my life deare vntounto mee, ſo that I may fulfill my courſe with ioye, Actor. 20.24. What a corziue would it prove to my conſcience, on my deaths bedd, to cale to minde, how I knew theſe things full well, but would not reueale them; how could I ſay with S. Paul, that I had reuealed the whole Counſaile of God, and hauehave kept nothing backe, that was proffitable? Act. 20.20.27. what hope could I then conceiue, that God would open his gate of Mercy to mee, who whilſt I liued, would not open my mouth for him?
Thus Gentle Reader, I hauehave both giuen thee my reaſons mouing me to wright, and alſo ſhowne thee, the many diſcouragements oppoſing me, & how I hauehave encountered them; now in the laſt place my requeſt vntounto thee, ſhall be 1. that thou expecteſt not from me, expreſſions of greate Schollarſhip, reading, elegancy of phraſe, and the like; but onelyonly ſoundneſſe, plainneſſe, and godly ſimplicity; as this is all you ſhall find, ſo is it as much as I deſire you ſhould finde. Touching Method, I could wiſh that here and there, ſome things were otherwiſe placed; but conſidering, that nothing is more tediouſe vntounto me, then vnneceſſary wrighting of one thing twiſe ouer, whereby ſuch ſlipes might hauehave bene amended, I truſt I ſhall obtaine thy patience; and the rather, conſidering that after this worke was firſt finiſhed, it laying ſtill by mee, I had occation to add too many and ſondry things here and there, and not finding roome enough in the margent of my Notes, to inſerte them were I would, was forced to thruſt them in where I could.
2. Whereas in ſome paſſages, a harſh word or two may fale from my pen, which the temperate Reader may thinke, might better hauehave bene ſpared; In this caſe, I deſire him to thinke, that he is not yet ſo ſenſible of the foulneſſe of the cauſe, as my ſelfe, who hauehave peraduenture better weighed circumſtances: for I conſider of the foulnes of the matter, ſeeing it moſt palpably; of the obſtinacy of the aduerſaries, after ſufficient meanes of conviction, tendered long a gone vntounto them; and of the dangerouſe conſequences, ariſing from their greate errours, in a matter of greateſt weight and moment, it being about a Morall Law, a parte of Gods worſhip, and a moſt Ancient ordinance of Gods; I ſee their abſurd anſwers, diſtinctons, and arguments, and how by their ſubtilty they corrupt, the Scriptures, and abuſe the well minded people of the Land: obſerue it, and you ſhall ſtill find ſome of theſe things, the foregoing occation of eueryevery tarte ſpeech I vſe; now theſe things, my Reader at firſt, cannot be poſſeſſed of, as I am: & who can ſpeake of ſuch foule things, without ſome expreſſions, of a iuſt indignation againſt them?
In ſpecialll, I hauehave often occaſion to vſe the word Puritan…: Hereat let none be offended; for I vſe it not in reproch vntounto ſanctity and purity, or the profeſſours thereof, conſidered as truly ſuch; for I honour purity in my heart, & endeauor after it in my life: I vſe the word therfore, but onelyonly as a note of diſtinction, to point at ſome men with whom I hauehave to deale, rather then others; & grieued I am at my heart and in my ſoule, that I muſt hauehave to deale againſt perſons ſo qualified.
Tis true this cauſe concerneth all men none excepted, whither Miniſters or people: yet in ſpeciall, as cauſe there is for it, I direct my ſpeech chiefly againſt Miniſters; of Miniſters there are two ſortes, puritanes, and ſuch as are no puritanes; theſe, as I find them not redy to imbrace things new; ſo I find them, not redy to condemne a cauſe, before they hauehave heard it: wherefore, ſpareing them, my ſpeech is onelyonly againſt puritane Miniſters: of theſe alſo there are two ſortes, ſome who happily neuer ſo much as hauehave heard of this queſtion, or if they hauehave, yet neuer raiſed ſlaunders & oppoſitions againſt it; but carying it temperatly and diſcreetly, wiſh it a due triall, that ſo the trueth may be boulted out, theſe mē I reuerence: but there are others, & in ſpeciall thoſe tenn Miniſters named in the title leaſe, at the begining of this booke, theſe men in ſpeciall I oppoſe; for theſe after they hauehave had my Notes, and alſo my former booke and conference with me, now fowre yeeres paſt, yet ſtill doe raiſe vp all the oppoſiton, againſt both my perſon and my cauſe; that they can; and that both publikly and priuatly. Salomon telleth vsus, there is an appointed time for all things, A time to laugh, and a time to weepe: A time to rend, and a time to ſowe: A time of warre, and a time of peace: A Time to keepe ſilence, and a time to ſpeake Eccl. 3. my former booke was a time of ſilence: for there I laboured, to couer the ſpotes & blemiſhes, of theſe my brethrens errour, hoping a word had bene enough to the wiſe; but they abuſing it, this booke is a time to ſpeake, and lay them forth in their cullers. My former booke, was a time of peace, for there I handled the matter meekly, mildly, and in all friēdlineſſe, hoping theſe my brethren, would redly hauehave imbraced Trueth with peace; but they proclaiming open warres againſt me, & Gods cauſe in my hand; this booke is a time of warre; & here I take them for Gods enimies and myne: Let me deſire my Reader therfore, to giuegive me patience, to proſecute theſe enemies of Gods Trueth rowndly, not ſparing them, though they be Miniſters.
Happily thou wilt ſay in their behalfe, oh but theſe men whom you would ſo proſecute, they are Miniſters, whom we exceedingly reuerence, and who doe truly feare God, as your ſelfe cannot deny &c. Yea, they are your brethren, &c. And ſo doe I reuerence them too, but with this limitation, in their virtues, and wherin they doe well: And they truly feare God, as I am ſtrongly perſwaded, yet they hauehave not at all times, a reſpect vntounto all Gods Commandements, as the Prophet Dauid ſpeaketh; for they tranſgreſſe the 4th Com. weekly, by prophaning of Gods Sabbathes: I may not vnfitly reſemble theſe 10 Miniſters, vntounto that clowd which had a light and a darke parte; when I behold their light parte, & ſee them walking in & teaching the trueth, I cannot loke enough on them, I may truly ſpeake it: but when I looke on their darke parte, and ſee them in their errours, I abhorre their ſight, as one abhorreth the darkneſſe. The Prophet Dauid was to be exceedingly reuerenced, yet not in his ſinnes of murther & adultery, againſt the 6th & 7th com. Hee truly feared God, yet at this time, he had not a reſpect vntounto theſe two Commandements, of murther and adultery. The Apoſtle Peter, being a Miniſter, was to be highly reuerenced, yet not in his deniall of Chriſt: He truly feared God, yet when he forſwore his Lord and Maſter, therein he bewraied it not. Let good men therfore, & Holy, be defended, no further, then their goodneſſe and holineſſe will extend; and ſuffer them to be proſecuted and diſcouered, in their erroures & ſinnes, that they may reforme them. I confeſſe they are my brethren, & ſo I acknowledge them; but what then, may not their erroures therfore be diſcouered and reproued? Peter was Pauls brother, did Paul therfore cloke Peters errour? no; Paul diſcouered it, and reproued it to his face, and that publikly before all men Gal. 2.11.14: ſhall the ſinnes of the people be reproued, and not the ſinnes of Miniſters? ſhall Miniſters, hauehave a patent to ſinne without reprofe? our Sauiour, reproued Peter, ſaying, get thee behind me Satan. I hold, ſinne is leſſe to be borne withall in a Miniſter, then in a priuate perſon; eſpecially if it be, both in their life and doctrine, as that is, for which I ſhall reproue them: for when they not onelyonly practiſe it, but alſo erroniouſly teach it, hereby they draw whole multitudes after them; and therefore ſinnefull errour, would be ſnibed in them, as a riuer would be ſtopped in the fountaine.
Perhapes thou wilt further ſay for them, but what is it you hauehave againſt them? it ſeemeth by theſe words, that you hauehave ſome greate matter againſt them, which we cannot beleeue, ſince we know them to be men ſo Holy, ſo lerned, and eueryevery way ſo qualified, as we cannot ſay, black is their eye &c. Why amongſt others, theſe things I hauehave againſt them; In generall I challeng them, for their falſe and erroniouſe doctrine, where with all they hauehave now a long time deceiued, and ſeduced the people of God, & wherein they ſtill ſtifly perſiſt, he particulars whereof are theſe; by their vngodly and abhominable reiecting, of that moſt ancient ordinance, of Gods Sabbath, by name commanded in the Morall Law. 1. They are become companiones to thoſe wicked. Prieſts, who were partiall in Gods Law, Mal. 2.9: for they deny the Integrity & perfection of the Law, and teach it onelyonly by halues & by parceles and peeces, and ſo make Gods Law, a lame and defectiue Law. 2. They deny God, a parte of his holy worſhip and ſeruice, preſcribed in the firſt Table of the Decalogue, and this they neglect and omit weekly. 3. They hauehave vtterly aboliſhed, and by their doctrine nullified, the whole 4th Commandement, both roote and branch. 4. They hauehave moſt ſhamefully abuſed the 4th Commandement, by their moſt groſſe, falſe, and erroniouſe expoſitions of it; ſo as I neuer ſaw, any one portion of ſcripture, more corruptly and falſly expounded, by any Popiſh Ieſuit. Whereby they worthily deſerue the Title, to be called, The corrupters of Gods Law. 5. They doe ſhamefully abuſe certaine Textes, and portions of Scripture; and that by ſetting Scriptures together by the eares: for they wreſt certaine Scriptures of the New Teſtament, to the vnneceſſary contradicting and ouerthrowing, of things commanded in the Decalogue and 10 Commandements of the Old Teſtament. 6. They hauehave and doe, moſt vnſchollarlike, abuſe the 4th Com. by applying it, to the Lords day, the which God directed properly vntounto the Saturday, or 7th day of the weeke. 7. They teach and maintaine, that the Lords day is the Sabbath day, by Chriſt his inſtitution; and to this purpoſe, they hauehave moſt vnlernedly & diſhoneſtly, wreſted and abuſed, diuerſe & ſondry portiones of ſacred Scripture, a thing which one day they muſt account to God for: and hereby they hauehave ſhamefully abuſed, many of the well affected people of the land, nurſing them vp in Superſtition, will worſhip, and idolatry: If I ſhall make theſe 7 things good, againſt theſe 10 Miniſters, as in this booke I ſhall, then I truſt you will pardon me, if now and then, I let fale an harſh word or two, againſt them; and then I truſt you will not blame me, for taking vp the bucklers againſt them, as Gods enemies, in theſe caſes: I could not hauehave taken theſe things ſo euilly, at the hands of any as of puritans, nor of any puritans as of puritane Miniſters: for at their hands I looked for better.
As for them, theſe 10 Miniſters, I require and charge them, as they will anſwer it before the Tribunall of Almightie God, at the generall day of Iudgement, that they ſtudy the 4th Commandement better, and other the Scriptures now in controuercy; ſo that they may deliuer nothing to the people, but the pure word of God, in their expoſition; and that they forbeare theſe erroniouſe doctrines, in pulpit and in priuate; yea and reuoke theſe their foule erroures, making a mends to the people of God, whom they hauehave wronged, by acknowledging the ſame vntounto them, before either they, or any of their people departe this preſent life: it is no dallying with mens ſoules, and Gods matters. Or elſe, let them anſwer this my booke, and ſo honeſtly acquite themſelues, of theſe things I charge them withall: it is but equall that I demaund, that they ſhould either confirme my booke, or confute it: ſome of them ſay they will giuegive their liues for the Lords day Sabbath, I truſt then, they will giuegive their laboures, which is leſſe, to defend it. I doubt not, but you ſhall heare them make many ſhiftes, & friuolouſe excuſes, that they may not anſwer me, as hitherto they hauehave done, when moued to anſwer my former booke; but this is but ſtill to maintaine their credit, among the people, as if they could eaſily anſwer all, but they will not waſt their time forſooth. Happily the combination of theſe 10 Miniſters, will agree, eueryevery man to preach an invectiue ſermon or two, eueryevery man in his owne pariſh, againſt this booke, and ſo raiſe a greate cry againſt me; picking partially ſome fewe things in my booke, to cauill at; as it is no hard matter, for a Rhetoricean, to delude the people with words; and for a Sophiſter, to beguile them with ſeeming arguments and anſwers; but my requeſt vntounto them is, that they would anſwer my booke, and that punctually, from point to point; not ſnaching and catching here and there at things; and that they would print it, as I hauehave done, and ſo they ſhall ſtand to what they ſay, without alterationes, and after minceings and extenuationes: An Author, may be much wronged and abuſed in pulpit, as I hauehave bene alredy by M. Chappell, reporting to the people, things out of my former booke, falſly, which I neuer wrote there; & ſo confuting their owne phantaſies, in ſtead of my booke; and the Author hath no remedy, but patience. To auoide the like, I deſire them to forbeare pulpit confutations, and come to printed confutations, that ſo they may be anſwered againe.
What remaineth Chriſtian Reader, but that in the laſt place, I craue thy ſingle eye and vnpartiall cenſure; and that you carry a minde, voide of all preiudice, & euill will, either to the perſon or the cauſe, whereabouts thou art redy to be imployed in reading: Remember, we are not to receiue the word of God, with reſpect of perſons; nor yet to ſtop the eare, and winke with the eye, leaſt we ſhould ſee and vnderſtand: for ſo thou ſhalt both wrong thy ſelfe, and thy Author. Remember, thou art now in the place of a Iudge: for thou muſt reade the Controuercy of the Lords Sabbathes, pleaded pro & con, betwixt theſe 10 Miniſters and mee: they againſt Gods Title, and I for Gods Title; they againſt Gods Sabbaths, and I for them: and betwixt them and mee, thou muſt Iudge & paſſe ſentence, now a Iudge muſt not be carried away with partiality, and reſpect to perſons; nor ſuffer his minde to be prepoſſeſſed, with an ill will to the cauſe, before he heareth it: theſe things are but equall and right, which I craue of thee, wherefore I truſt I ſhall obtaine with thee. This onelyonly note, that if thou wi…t ſuffer thy ſelfe to be ſwaied, rather on the one ſide, then on the other, thou oughteſt rather to take in with mee, then with them: for the Sabbath day, it being an ancient ordinance of Gods, a long time in vſe in his Church, therefore the cauſe and Title it is Gods; and ſince I ſtand in defence of this Sabbath day, therfore I ſtand in defence of Gods cauſe, and Gods Title, & ſo ſide it with God: but they, ſetting themſelues againſt Gods Sabbath, ſet themſelues not onelyonly againſt me, but alſo againſt Gods cauſe, & Gods Title: wherfore iudge thou, whither it were better for thee, to take in with them, or with mee; againſt Gods cauſe & Title, or with Gods cauſe & Title. And ſo I commend thee to the grace of him, who is able, to build vsus vp further in the knowledge and louelove of his Trueth.
Thine in Chriſt Jeſus THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE.