A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Table of contents
The Contentes of this Booke.
Chapt. I.
This Chapter conteineth A defence of the Morall Law, or 10 Commandements of Almightie God: wherin for the defence of Gods Sabbathes, it is proued, that this Law is in force vntounto Chriſtianes: and here Libertines, Anabaptiſts, & Antinomians are confuted; who deny that the Law of God, & conſequently his Sabbaths, doe belong vntounto Chriſtians: and their obiectones to the contrary are anſwered.
Chapt. II.
This Chapter conteineth an Expoſition of the 4th Commandement, together with a diſcouery, of the manifould ſhamefull corruptiones & abuſes of this diuine Law, by many Diuines of theſe times; who doe wreſt it, mancle it, & corrupt it by their idle anſwers & diſtinctions, falſe gloſſes, & moſt abſurd Expoſitiones: from all which, this Holy Law is vindicated by the Authour, & reſtored to its proper genuine, & ancient ſenſe againe. Here alſo, it is made apparent, that the whole 4th Commandement is aboliſbed & nullified, by the common doctrine of theſe times.
Furthermore, and by the way, here it is ſhowne, how long a Sabbath day is, as namely, that it is but the time of Day light onelyonly: & here is diſcouered the errour of ſuch diuines, as hold & teach, that the Sabbath day is to begine at midnight, or in the Euening before, or to laſt from morning to morning. 2. By the way alſo, here it is ſhowne, that there is no ſuch preparation to the Sabbath, to be made on the euening before, by a ceſſation from the workes of our callings, & the like, as ſome Miniſters doe wright, & call for. Laſtly this Chapter is concluded, with an Exhortation to the louelove of Gods Law, & the Integrity & perfection thereof.
Chapt. III.
This Chapter conteineth A diſcouery of the vanity, of all their Arguments, brought for the maintenance of the Lords day to be a Sabbath day: & of their abuſe of ſondry Scriptures, to that end. This is handled in two queſtions: the one, ſhewing that it can neuer be proued, that the Lords day, was in the Apoſtles dayes, conſtantly & weekly obſ…rued weeke by weeke, as we now obſerue it. The other, That it cannot be proued, that ſo much as any one Lords day, was euer kept in the Apoſtles dayes, for a Sabbath day: and that therfore it is no ſinne againſt God, but Lawfull for Huſbandmen to make Hay, in Hay ſeile, to ſow corne in wheat ſeile, to reape corne in Harueſt; & for all ſortes of Tradſmen, Taylers. Shomakers, Brewares, Bakers, Weauers, and the reſt, to doe the ordenary workes of their callings, as well vponupon the Lords day, as vponupon any other day of the weeke. Yet further, here it is proued, that the Lords day is but an indifferent thing, & that by the Teſtimony of the beſt writers, ſome lerned & Godly Martyrs, & the State, and Church of England aſſembled in Parliament. Here alſo, the Lords day is diſcouered to be but A Popiſh Tradition: & ſo all Romiſh reliques are not yet remoued. Finally it concludeth with an Admonition, & Dehortation from Superſtition, voluntary-religion, & will-worſhip.
Chapt. IV.
This Chapter conteineth an Anſwer. vntounto all thoſe Textes of Scripture, reaſons, and arguments, profanly & impiouſly brought againſt the 7th day Sabbath, commanded in the Morall Law. It ſheweth the abſurdeties, which the vndertakers againſt Gods Sabbath doe fale into. And, it wipeth off that ſlaunder of rigorouſneſſe, of the Iewiſh Sabbath; and ſheweth, that God required no more ſtricktneſſe, of Iewes then, then the patrones of the Lords day, doe require of Chriſtians, on the Lords day now.
Chapt. V.
This Chapter conteineth, ſondry Subſtanciall Arguments, prouing vndeniably, that the 7th day Sabbath, mentioned in the Morall Law, is ſtill in force, & ought to be, to the worlds end. This is proued, both out of the Old Teſtament & out of the New Teſtament; & alſo, out of the ancient Records of the Church. For 1. God Commanded it. 2. Chriſt, the Sonne of God, ratified it. 3. The Apoſtles after Chriſt, practiſed it. 4. The Primitiue Churchs, religiouſly obſerued it: And in this laſt paſſage, by the way it is ſhowne 1. when the Lords day first ſprang vp, to be a ſole Sabbath day; and who were the founders thereof. 2. When the Lords ancient Sabbath was firſt throwne downe, & who were the wicked Authors thereof. Occationally in this Chapter, the obſeruation of the old Sabbath is freed from the uniuſt ſlaunder, of being Iewiſh and Iudaſme, with the like.
Here alſo are confuted, the vaine Euaſions & diſtinctions, which are vſually framed againſt the ancient Sabbath day. Laſtly, here is a diſcourſe of the Antiquity of the Sabbath: where it is proued, that the Sabbath day it from the Creation, & ſo as ancient as the world.
Chapt. VI.
This Chapter conteineth A diſpenſation; ſhewing that Chriſtians, who deſire the Ancient Sabbath, are not neceſſarily bound in conſcience, to make A rent from our Church, in their preſent obſeruation of it; but that they may waite, for the opportunity of a publike Reformation, by the Magiſtrate; prouided they keepe the Lords day for the Sabbath day, by way of a change in the meane ſeaſon. 2. It concludeth with an Exhortation, to vſe all poſſible & lawfull meanes for a ſpeedy publike & generall Reformation: amongst other Motiues therevnto, theſe are touched, that vntill A Reformation. 1. The Decalogue is defaced of its Integrity. 2. The 4th Com. is but a Cipher. 3. An holy prayer of our Church is fruſtrate. 4. A gate is ſet open to Anabaptiſtry. 5. The worſhip of God will languiſh & decay. 6. An old Tradition is kept in the place, where the old Sabbath ſhould ſtand. 7. Men liue in the weekly ſinne of Sabbath breaking. 8. God is denied a parte of his worſhip. Yea & corruptly worſhiped. 9. Idolatry is committed by thowſand thowſands in the Kingdome. And theſe are the Contentes of this booke.