A Discourse Upon the Sabbath Day, Title page – To the reader

A Discourse Upon the Sabbath Day · Title page – To the reader

A Diſcourſe vponupon the SABBATH DAY Wherin are handled theſe particulares enſuinge

1. That the Lords day is not Sabbath day, by divine inſtitution.

2. An expoſition of the 4. Commandement, ſo farr forth as may give light vntounto the enſueinge diſcourſe: and particularly, here it is ſhowne, at what time the Sabbath day ſhould begine and end; for the ſatisfaction of thoſe who are doubtfull in this point.

3. That the ſeaventh day Sabbath is not aboliſhed.

4. That the ſeaventh day Sabbath is now ſtill in force.

5. The Authors exhortation and reaſones, that nevertheleſſe there be not rente from our Church as touchinge practiſe.

WRITTEN BY THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE.

Remember the Sabbath day, Exod. 20.8. The ſeauenth day is the Sabbath, Exod. 20.10.

Whatſoeuer thing I command you, take heede you doe it: thou ſhalt put nothing there to, nor take ought there from, Deut. 12.32.

Curſed is eueryevery one, that continueth not in all things, which are written in the booke of the Law, to doe them. Galat. 3.10.

Printed the 23^th. of Decemb. Anno Dom. 1628.

To the Godly and vvell-affected Reader vvhoſoeuer.

KNOWEING (dearly beloued and Chriſtian Reader) by experience in my ſelfe as well as otherwiſe, that there is a propenſity & holy inclination, in all who are truly Gods, to hauehave a reſpect vntounto all Gods Commandements, without exceptions or reſeruations, I iudged this diſcourſe of the Sabbath day, which is one branch of Gods eternall Law, could not be vnwelcome to thee: Caleing to minde alſo, the parable of our Saviour, how ſeuerly He will deale with that ſeruant, to whom he deliuered but one ſingle Talent, for his hideing it, ſo as no profit came on it. Math. 25-24. remembring alſo, that Chriſt made it an eſſentiall marke of Peters louelove vntounto him, To fecd his Lambes: Ioh. 21.15. And, that it is giuen in charge to all, to exhorte one another, to admoniſh one another, & to edifie one another 1. Th. 5.11.14. I durſt not for feare, nor could I for louelove, but make knovvn my minde in this pointe: To ſee the Church and Spouſe of Chriſt, to lye in the weekly breach of the 4^th. Commandement, by violating and prophaning of the Lords ſacred tyme and Sabbath (a ſine of ignorance hether to I confeſſe) and in meane tyme ſuperſtitiouſly ſanctifying a day, the firſt day of the weeke for a Sabbath, which God, nor Chriſt, nor any of his Apoſtles euer commanded or appointed: how could my ſpirit but be ſtirred within mee, to ſhew vntounto hir this errour, and to declare vntounto hir, which day is that righte and true day, which God requireth of hir: and the Rather, ſince God hath put it into hir hart, wilingly to giuegive God a day: for, this laſt and honourable Parliament (bleſſed be God for their zeale and Godly care) hath enacted a Law for the better keeping holy of the Lords day. I know, for my good will & louelove, I ſhall reape euill vvill and hatred; and for this paynes I ſhall vndergoe moſt harſh & bitter cenſures, but bleſſed are ye (ſaid Chriſt) when men ſpeak euill of you falſely for my ſake. They will ſay as ſome allreedy doe ſay, tis pride and ſingularity that ſetes me on vvorke; To vvhom I anſvvere in Pauls vvords 1. Cor. 4. I knovv nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not thereby iuſtified; but if it be, I beſeech God pardone the ſyne, but bleſſe this work. Others, and that more charitablie, obiect the vnſeaſonableneſſe of this motion, becauſe the Church of God is now vnderunder manifould afflictions, and liable to ſubuerſion by hir enemies: where vntounto I ſay, the more neede ſhee ſhold dravv neere to hir God, ſticking cloſſe to his Lawes, the breach whereof he hath threatned with ſubverſions and deſolations, Deut. 28. and, Gods truthes may not waite attendance, till men be at leiſure to receiue them. Others, may thinke and ſay, there are men more fit then, I am for a matter of this weight &c. To whom I anſwere, by a free acknowledgement of this truth; what multitudes are there in our Church, eueryevery ech one wherof farr ſurpaſſe mee, for partes of nature, and for learning, and for outward dignities, titles, & preferrments, all which might well countenance and helpe forwards ſuch a cauſe as this, and were much to be deſired, I confeſſe: Neither can I think, but ſome of thoſe hauehave long agone foreſeene this truth, either perfectly, or at leaſt a farr off, as my ſelfe at firſt ſawe it in my ſtudies, like as the blind man in the Goſpell, at firſt ſawe men like trees; but whats the cauſe, why they did not proſecute the matter, till it came to perfection, till they ſawe men like men clearly? was it not a ſlothfull feare to leeſe their labour, and catch a ſhadow for a Subſtance, as painfull Studentes muſt doe ſomtymes? or, for feare of the greatneſſe of the labour: or, for feare of the loſſe of reputation, dignities, preferments, liueings,

p. 1The Lords day, is not Sabbath day, by Divine inſtitution.

BE pleaſed (Chriſtian Reader) firſt of all to note, that we now a dayes apply the name Sabbath, to the Lords day, Promiſcuoſly & without difference, the which is altogether without warrant of holy Scriptures, ſince Scripture ſaith the ſeven^th daye is the Sabbath, Exod: 20:10. And all the Euangeliſts call the Lords day, the firſt day of the weeke, Matth: 28:1. So then there is as much difference twixt theſe two as is betweene the ſeventh and the firſt: the laſt day of the weeke, Saturday, and the firſt day of the weeke, Sunday. Now, thus to confounde two proper names of dayes, is as if wee ſhould call Sunday, Saturday. And I deſire it rather to be noted, becauſe the ignorance of this point is of dangerous conſequence amongſt the commone people, p. 2who when they heare the 4.^th Com: Remember the Sabbath day &c. or thoſe words Iſa: 58: and call the Sabbath a delight, to conſecrate it glorious to the Lord: &c: they think preſently vponupon our Lords day, the firſt day of the weeke, as if thoſe texts commanded this day. Whereas they point at Sabbath day the ſeventh and laſt day of the weeke. Such a miſtake in a leaſe or bonde might procure a forfeiture of them, with man, beware we then, leaſt by the like, wee forfeite with God in the 4^th. Com:

In the next place let vsus examine the authorities & textes of Scripture, which vſually are alleaged for profe that the Lords day is a Sabbath by Gods apointment, wherein I will ſhewe the invalidity & inſufficiencey of thos textes by waye of anſwere to them.

1. Let vsus begine with the 4^th. Com: Remember the Sabbath day &c: this precept is vrged vponupon the Lords day that we ſhould Sanctify it.

Here to I anſwere by denyall that this Commandement doth vrge the Lords day; the reaſon of my denyall is. 1: becauſe the Com: enioyneth a day whoſe proper name is Sabbath day, like as Saturday with vsus is a proper name of one of our weeke dayes: But the Lords day, is not Sabbath day, for, it is the daye after the Sabbath day; & it is a proper name for an other of our p. 3weeke dayes, that is for Sunday, or for the firſt day of the weeke: 2. Becauſe the Com: enioyneth the 7^th. day, which is the laſt daye of the weeke; but the Lords daye is the 8^th. daye, or the firſt daye of the weeke, by the accounte of all men. And it is no leſſe abſurde to preſſe the 4^th. Com. which enioynes the 7^th. day for a Sabbath, to the 8^th. daye, or to the firſt daye: then it had been for the Iſraelites out of that Com: Levit: 25.2.3.4. The 7^th. yeere ſhall be a Sabbath of reſt vntounto the Land &c. to preſſe this Com: vntounto the 8^th. yeere or to the firſt yeere for the lands reſt. 3. Becauſe the Com: enioyneth that day which the Lord God himſelf reſted on, & the which he bleſſed & hallowed Exod: 20:11. but our Lords daye is not the day God reſted on nor did God in the creatione, bleſſe ſanctify & hallowe our Lords daye or firſt daye of the weeke; nay he wrought one it himſelfe, & appointed it for a workeing daye to man, when he ſaide 6. dayes ſhalt thou labour & doe all thou haſt to doe Exod: 20:9. of which 6. dayes our Lords day is one, & the firſt. But here vntounto it will be replied, true, the 4^th. Com: did once enioyne the 7^th. daye, Sabbath, but ſince the daye is altered & changed by Chriſt & his Apoſtles, ſo that now the 4^th. Com: is changed too, & bindes to the newe daye, though not properly, yet Analogically & by waye of reſemblance: I anſwere, the word p. 4(Change) betokeneth two thinges, the one is an abolition or remoueing the ould, the other is an aſſumption or takeing vp of a newe; as 2. Sam. 12.20. David changed his apparell: that is, he put off his mourning attire, and he put one other apparell: now I deny that euer Chriſt, or his Apoſtles did thus change the Sabbath day either by there precept or practiſe; did the Apoſtles ſo preache one the Lords day, as they ceaſed preaching one the Sabbath day, the day before the Lords day? can this be proued? for this is a change properly: is not the contrary manifeſt, to wit that the Apoſtles did conſtantly preach one the Sabbath dayes? ſee Act. 13.14.42.44. Act. 16.13. Act. 17.2. Act. 18.4. if then they alſo preached one the Lords dayes too, why this is no alteration or change though, it is but an addition of a day, and a ſettinge vp of another Sabbath daye a newe, and ſo you may hauehave two Sabbathes in eueryevery weeke if you will.

2. I anſwere, admit the Sabbath was changed into the Lords day, yet may you not ſafely ſay the 4^th. Com: was changed, for ſo you ſay the 4^th. Comm: was aboliſht, and a newe Comm: erected, the word (change) implying ſo much: Nor can you ſaye the 4^th. Com: (being an ould Com:) bindes to a newe day, long ſince erected; how will this be proued? ſpecially, ſince that it was not the manner of Scripture to eſtabliſh p. 5newe thinges, by od preceptes, Baptiſme that came in roome of Circumciſion, it ſtands not by force of the ould precept to Abraham Geneſ. 17.10. Let eueryevery man child among you be circumciſed &c. but by a newe precept Matth: 28.19. goe teach all Nations, baptizing them &c. The Supper of the Lord, come in roome of the Paſſeover, it ſtands not by virtue of the ould Law Ex: 12.3. &c. but by a newe Law 1. Cor. 11.23. As well may we faine that the Law made by Queene Elizabeth to ſtint vſury at 10. in the 100. is that Law which now a dayes ſtintes vſury at 8. in the 100. (as if Queen: Elizabeths Lawes did add force to, and did commande things enacted by King Charles many yeeres after) as to imagine the 4^th. Comm: enacted for the 7^th. day, ſhold now binde to the 8^th. day, which is longe ſince riſen vp, as is ſaid.

I anſwere thirdly, by deniall that the 4^th. Com: doth binde to another daye then it mentioneth Analogically, and by reſemblance & ſimilitude: by this deuiſe may we binde Chriſtians to Baptize Children only one the 9^th. day, and to eate the Lords Supper only vponupon the 15^th. day of the month once a yeere; and ſay, we are bounde to thes dayes by the Lawes of Circumciſion, and Paſſeover, which did properly binde to the 8^th. day, and to the 14^th. day, but now they binde vsus Analogically to the 9^th. and 15^th. dayes: 2. This p. 6deuiſe is matchleſſe, for of all the other 9. Com: none doe binde to other things then thos mentioned in the Com: analogically and by ſimilitude. nay in this 4^th. Com: where we hauehave 3. things enioyned, 1. the tyme, the Sabbath. 2. Holineſſe. 3. Reſt: it bindes not analogically to Holineſſe or Reſt; but only to the day and tyme, as they ſaye: ſince all other partes and parcelles of the 10. Com: be expounded properly, why ſhold this one particle only, the 7^th. day, or the Sabbath day, be expounded improperly and analogically? Sure I am it is againſt the receiued rule in expoſition of Scriptures, to giuegive an improper ſenſe where a proper may be had.

Yet furthermore, others replye thus, the 4^th. Com: enioyneth a Sabbath day, which ſignifies a Reſtinge day, now our Lords day is a Sabbath day, for ſo much as it is a reſtinge day, and ſo the 4^th. Com: enioyneth it and is firme for it.

I anſwere. 1. by like reaſon you may thus expounde the name (Ieſus) Heb: 4:8. of Iheſus the Sauiour of the world, which is meante of Ieſus, which is Ioſhua that ſaued the Iſraelites from the Canaanites: as if becauſe Ieſus ſignifies a Sauiour, therfore wherſoeuer ye finde a man that was a Sauiour, you may thinke he was meante by the name Ieſus, though the context ſhewes it is meante of an other Ieſus. 2. True it is the word Sabbath ſignifieth a Reſte; but Synecdochically p. 7for that ſpeciall Reſte ſpecified in the 4^th. Com: to wite that Reſt, which is on the 7^th. day, not that on the 8^th. daye; for the 7^th. day is the Sabbath Exod: 20:10. and this is the day that goes before the Lords day: furthermore the Reſtinge day in the 4^th. Com: is ſuch a reſtinge day as is diſtinguiſhed from all other dayes in the weeke by his proper name (Sabbath day) which with the Iewes was neuer taken to be the Lords day, or firſt day of the weeke, no more then Saturday with vsus can be miſe vnderſtode to be Sunedaye: wherfore to auoide this ſhifte, it were to be wiſhed that the Hebrew name (Sabbath) were tranſlated into an Engliſh name, as nere as might be, though by a circumlocution, rendringe day for day and call it (Saturday-Reſte.) Remember Saturday-reſte, to Keepe it holy &c. Exod: 20:8. And thus the ſimpleſt cold not miſtake which is the day the Lord meante in his 4^th. Com: Thus you ſee the 4^th. Com: cannot be vnderſtode to enforce the Sanctification of the Lords day.

2. A ſecond Text produced is Reu: 1:10. I was rauiſhed in the Spirit one the Lords day &c. Hence it is thus argued; this day is called the Lords day, as the laſt Supper of Chriſt is called the Lords Supper, now as Chriſt did ſubſtitute the laſt Supper in roome of the Paſſeouer, ſo he p. 8ſubſtituted the Lords day in roome of the Sabbath.

I anſwere 1. it doth not followe it muſt be called the Lords day, in the ſame ſenſe as Chriſts Supper is called the Lords Supper, for, it may be called the Lords day 1. in reference to God the Creator, meaninge there by the Lords Sabbath of the 7^th. day, ſince thes Sabbathes were caled the Lords dayes, as the lords Holy day Iſa: 58:13. now if the Sabbath be the Lords holy day, then is it, the Lords day. 2. In reference to God the Redeemer, it might be called the Lords day, as the day is wherein Chriſt will come to Indgment Luk: 17:24, 30. that is a day wherein Chriſt will ſhewe himſelfe Maruailouſe to the world, ſo did Chriſt in the day of his Incarnation, Paſſion, Reſurrection and Aſcention, in eueryevery of thes he did a remarkable worke, and eueryevery of thes might be called the Lords day, and which of them Iohn had reſpect vntounto Scripture is altogether ſilent, and therfore can we not builde vponupon infallible growndes herein, and we muſt not ſet vp Sabbathes, tyeinge mens conſciences vponupon probabilities and contingencies: furthermore, who wold argue from Luk: 17:24. that becauſe the day of Iudgment is called Chriſts day, Therfore that day muſt then be kept for a Sabbath day? but admit S. Iohn meant the day of Chriſts Reſurrection, that is a day wherein he p. 9would declare himſelfe mightely to be the Sonne of God, by the reſurrection from the dead Rom: 1:4. What is this to a Sabbath, which men muſt celebrate? how doth it appeare Chriſt roſe one this day, and called it the Lords day, with this intendement that men ſhold for euer after keepe it a Sabbath? ſhewe me an inſtitution of a Sabbath day by Chriſts riſeing one this day, or by S. Iohns calling it the Lords day: finally ſay it were a Sabbath day, how will it appeare in the Canon of Holy Scripture that the Lords day was in the Apoſtles dayes a weekly day, kept eueryevery 7^th. day as now it is? or rather an annuall day as Eaſter day is, for, properly Eaſter day is the Lords day. I anſwere further; there is not like reaſon of thes two, the Lords day: and the Lords Supper: for a day, and a Supper differ much, ſo as a day may be called the Lords in one ſenſe, and a Supper, may be called the Lords, in an other ſenſe.

I anſwere ſecondly, it will not follow that there muſt be the ſame reaſon and likeneſſe betweene the Lords day and the Sabbath, which was betwene the Lords Supper and the Paſſeouer; for the Paſſeouer was a branche of the Ceremoniall Law, and a Ceremony, and a type of Chriſt; and therfore to be aboliſht at Chriſts comeing; But the Sabbath was a branch of the Morall Law, and a Morall, neither euer was it made a page missing p. 12death to life? now that God Sanctified the firſt day of the weeke for Chriſt to riſe on, I deny not, nor doe I refuſe to reioyce there on and be thankfull to God for ſo greate a worke, euen eueryevery day in the weeke, and yeere, or more ſolemnely once in a yeere as at Eaſter, or ofter if the Church ſee it expedient. But that this Text doth prophecy of this day for euer to be kept for our ſole Sabbath, in a Reſt all day long, and in holy duties eueryevery 7^th. day, this I denye, ſince this Text ſaith not this day was Sanctified for men, but it was Sanctified for Chriſt: yea we may reioyce and be glad in it annually as the Iewes were in theire annuall dayes of purim, Eſter. 9.26.27. and yet not keepe it in a ſtricte Reſt all day long as on a Sabbath.

I anſwer ſecondly, by (day) in the Pſalme is not neceſſarily vnderſtod a ſhorte ordinary day of 12. or 24. howres, but rather a long ſpace of tyme, as all the tyme after Dauid came to the Crowne; and ſo it may be applied to type out the whole tyme of Chriſt vponupon the earth ruleing as King in the Kingdom of his Church, thus Abraham ſawe Chriſts day Ioh. 8.56. thus tis called the day of Saluation 2. Cor. 6.2. If then by day here be meante the day of grace, or the tyme of Chriſts abode one the earth, then heer is no footing for a Sabbath day of 12. or 24. howres long.

p. 134. A 4^th. Text they produce is Act. 2.1.14. where Peter preached one Pentecoſt, which is one our white Sunday, and adminiſtred the Sacramentes of Baptiſme and the Lords Supper after he had converted 3000. ſoules, wherfore this muſt nedes be a Sabbath day, becauſe in it were performed the workes of a Sabbath &c.

Here to I anſwere, 1. That Peters actions are no diuine inſtitutions, vnleſſe backt by ſome precept, now nor Chriſt nor his Apoſtles gaue any precept for performance of thes duties one this day.

2. Peters ſermone was extraordenary, for it was vponupon the extraordenary comeing downe of the Holy Ghoſt then; and to remoue away the falſe ſlander of drunkeneſſe v. 13. and it was occaſioned by the greate concourſe of people extraordenarily met and aſſembled, not to heare a ſermone, but to heare the Apoſtles myraculouſly ſpeake ſtraunge tounges v. 6. now extraordenary things binde not to ordenary practiſe.

3. Preaching and adminiſtration of Sacraments be not proper duties of a Sabbath, but commone to any day of the weeke: Chriſt adminiſtred Lords Supper, one a Thurſday night the night before he was Crucified: Phillip baptized the Eunuch one a trauileing day, Act. 8.38.39. and for preaching, it was an eueryevery dayes worke if occation ſerued, preach the word in ſeaſon and p. 14our of ſeaſon, 2. Timoth. 4.2. Chriſt preached to the Samaritane Ioh. 4. on a working day, for his Diſciples were gone in to the citty to buye meate v. 8. He preached one the Mountaine Mat. 5.1. and out of a ſhippe, at an other tyme Luk. 5.1.2.3. which dayes were no Sabbaths, for on the Sabbaths Chriſt and the people mett in theire Synagogues Luk. 4.14. Paul preacht daily in the Temple, and from houſe to houſe, Act. 5.42. and daily in the ſchoole of Tyrannus Act. 19.9. Now vnles thes duties of preaching, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments, were ſo proper to the Sabbath, as they were vſed vponupon no day elſe, how can thes duties be markes of a Sabbath? no no, nothing but a Commandement will eſtabliſh a Sabbath day: doe not we preache, reade Scriptures, praye, adminiſter the Sacrament, and performe as many Sabbath duties on Chriſtmas day when it falls on a weeke day, as we doe on any Sabbath day? and yet vvho vvill therfore gather, vve keepe that Chriſtmas day for a Sabbath?

4. Note, Walaeus vponupon the 4^th. Com: pag. 161. ſaith it is called in to queſtion of ſome whither this day of Pentecoſt then fell vponupon the Lords day or not. yea, he addeth that Pentecoſt may fall one any day of the weeke, it is not therfore ſo generally a granted truth with diuines, that Pentecoſt euer was vponupon our Lords day, as vve p. 15hold, and keepe it.

5. If I may add mine ovvne opinion of the matter, I thinke Pentecoſt then when the Holy Ghoſt deſcended vponupon the Apoſtles in cloven fiery tounges: it was vponupon our Saturday, which was the 7^th. day Sabbath, not one our Sunday. that this may appeare, note that Pentecoſt by the Law Leuit. 23.16. was to be vponupon the 50^th. day: and this accounte was to begin one the morrowe after the Sabbath, v. 15. by Sabbath here is not to be vnderſtode the vveekly Sabbath, but the firſt Sabbath of the Paſſeouer, thus the Septuagint foreign; v. 11: for they had 2. Sabbathes at the Paſſeouer, to vvit the firſt day of vnleauened bread, and the 7^th. day v. 6.7.8. to the former of thos had the Septuagint relation, vvhen they ſaid, In the morrovv of the firſt of the Sahbathes: to this a greeth Aynſvvorth one Leuit: 23.11.15. alleageing the Chaldy, and the Rabbines, ſo reading and vnderſtanding it. So then vve muſt begine our account vponupon the morrovv after the firſt Sabbath of the Paſſeouer. novv that vve may knovv vvhat day this vvas on, ſee Leuit: 23.5.6.7. the Paſſeouer vvas on the 14^th. day of the Month, & on the 15^th. day of the month vvhichwhich vvas the very next day, vvas the firſt day of the Feaſt of vnleauened breade, vvhichwhich 15^th. day vvas the firſt Sabbath alſo, novv then the p. 16morrow after this firſt Sabbath it vvas vponupon the 16^th. day of the month, and this 16^th. day muſt be the begining af our accounte; Novv to apply this, for ſo much as Chriſt ſuffred on good friday, and eate the Paſſeouer on the day before at euening, hence it follovveth that Chriſt eate the Paſſeouer vponupon Thurſday, and it vvas the 14^th. day of the month, and friday vvherein he ſuffred vvas the 15^th. day of the month, and the firſt Sabbath of the Paſſeouer, ſo as Saturday was the 16^th. day of the month, and the morrow after the Sabbath, and ſo the firſt day of our accounte to 50. dayes, or to Pentecoſt. To proceed, if Saturday be the firſt day of the 50. then vponupon a Saturday againe will fall the 50^th. day: to make this appeare, counte from Saturday, taking it for one day, 7. vveekes compleate Leuit. 23.15. and there you hauehave 49. dayes, the 49^th. day falling vponupon a friday, here vn to ad the next day vvhichwhich is Saturday, and the morrovv after the 7^th. Sabbath or vveeke v. 16. and ſo you hauehave 50. dayes, and alſo you ſee that the 50^th. day fell vponupon the Saturday: To conclude, ſince Pentecoſt vvherein Peter preached Act. 2.1.14. vvas not one our Sunday but one our Saturday.

Hence it follovveth 1. that this Text Act. 2.1.14. maketh nothing for the prooving our Sunday or Lords day to be Sabbath day novv: 2. it p. 17followeth, that, if thoſe actions of Peters preaching, converteing 3000. and baptizing them on that day, were a ſufficient proofe that the day wherein they were done, was a Sabbath day, and ſo ought to this day to be, Then was Saturday at that tyme the Sabbath day, and ſo ought …o this day to be; becauſe one Saturday thoſe actiōs were performed: But that thoſe actions of Peters preacheing, Baptizeing and the reſt, are … ſufficient argument and proofe, that the day where one they were done, was and is a Sabbath, themſelues confeſſe it: Ergo Saturday was then and ought now to be the Sabbath day. So you ſee theire owne argument makes ſtrongly againſt them, and for mee, for the Saturday Sabbath.

5. A 5^th Text they produce is Act. 20.7. where the Diſciples being come together to breake bread, one the firſt day of the weeke, Paul preached vntounto them: now by the phraſe of breaking bread is commonly meante the Lords Supper, ſo here againe they argue as before, this muſt be a Sabbath, becauſe Sabbath duties were performed in it.

I anſwere, 1. by refering you to thoſe things in the anſwere to the Text laſt aboue Act. 2.14. which at firſt ſight doe after themſelues in anſwere to this place, as they did to that, the argument being the ſame.

p. 18I anſwere ſecondly, though Paules preaching doth bind vsus to preache alſo, yet doth not the tyme wherein he preached bind vsus to preach at the ſame tyme and day weekly, for then were we bounde to preache eueryevery Lords day till mid night, for ſo did Paul here, ſo that the day and tyme here (which is our very queſtion) doth not bind vsus.

3. Paules preaching now at Troas was extraordenary 1. in that he preached till mid night, 2. in as much as he was to departe away from them the next day, neuer to ſee theire faces againe v. 38. he cold doe no leſſe, then giuegive them a ſermone one ſuch an ocation, had it bene one any day of the weeke.

4. This preaching of Pauls at this tyme can make nothing for the Lords day, for this ſermon was only in the night not in the day tyme: This appeareth by the tyme of celebration of the Lords Supper, which in dayes of Chriſt and his Apoſtles was at Euening, at Supper tyme, for then our Sauiour celebrated it firſt Mark. 14.17. and it was in vſe ſo ſtill in Pauls tyme 1 Cor. 11.21. now the Text ſaith, The Diſciples being come together, one the firſt day of the weeke, to breake bread, or to receiue the Lords Supper; now the end of theire comeing, which was to receiue the Lords Supper declares plainly what tyme of the day they aſſembled in, to wite in p. 19the Euening, at Supper tyme, to eate the Lords Supper: there is no culler therfore to thinke they mett in the morneing about breakefaſt tyme (for then be gines the publike duties of the Sabbath) to goe to Supper: and it addes a little light to the tyme of theire meteing, to conſider of the place where they mett, that is in an upper chamber as tis in our Engliſhe Bibles v. 8. but Originall ſaith (in a ſupping chamber, foreign, in caenaculo) ſo tis more then manifeſt, they came but to Supper: Now the diſciples being aſſembled to that ende to receive the Lords Supper, Paul tooke occaſion of this preſent meteing after, (and I knovve not hovv long after) they vvere mett, to preache vntounto them, and after he had begune once then he held one his preaching till midnight, but at vvhat hovvre of the night or Eueninge Paul begun his Sermon, or hovv long after they vvere mett, I can not finde: Tis true the diſciples mett one the firſt day of the vveeke, but it might be and it vvas moſt likely they mett a little afore ſhutting in of the day, like as a man may be ſaid to paye and diſcharge his bonde due one the 7^th day of Iune, though he bringe his mony but one quarter of an hovvre before Sune ſett: But here it muſt be remembred that tis theire part to proue, Paul begane his Sermon in the morneinge, vvhoe ſay Paul, kept this daye, a Sabbath daye, by preaching in p. 20it: yea moreouer they muſt proue that the diſciples here at Troas did refraine all ſervile labour and the ordinary vvorkes of theire caleinge all this firſt day of the vveeke, or Lords day, from morneinge to the end of this day, if they vvill prove this day kept as a Sabbath: for to refraine all workes, and Reſt, is a branch of the 4^th. Com: and one parte of a Sabbath dayes dutie, but how they can prove this oute this text paſſeth myn vnderſtanding.

5. I deny that Paul preacht now at this tyme in conſcience of the 4^th. Com: and this they muſt proue, or elſe they ſay nothing; might not Paul preach at this extraordinary tyme in conſcience of that Com: 2. Tim. 4.2. preache the word in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon? ſurely this text was warrant ſufficient for Paul to take all occaſions of preaching the word eueryevery day or night, Sabbath day or other dayes: finally, how will it be proued that Paul kept this Lords day here for a Sabbath day by his preaching, ſince that preachinge it is an eueryevery dayes worke, as hath bene ſhowne afore? can it be proved that Pauls intent and purpoſe in preaching was to celebrate thereby that day for a Sabbath? this muſt be proved.

6 A 6^th. Text produced is 1. Cor. 16.2. vponupon the firſt day of the weeke, let eueryevery one of you p. 21put aſide by himſelfe &c. here ſay they vvas a conſtant weekely collection for the poore; now collections vſed to be after the word preached and Sacramentes adminiſtred, all which were done one the Sabbath day, as appeares in the hiſtories of the Church, ergo this firſt day of the weeke, was a Sabbath.

I anſwere 1. indeed our oulde tranſlatiō gaue ſome waye to vsus to thinke this collection was weekly, when it reade the text thus: EueryEvery firſt day of the weeke, let eueryevery one of you put aſide &c. but our newe Tranſlatores hauehave well amended it and doe reade it thus: vpō the firſt day of the weeke &c. as of a ſingle action once to be done onelyonly: and this further appeares to be true by thoſe words in latter ende of v. 2. that ſo there be no gatheringe when I come; ſo as Paul wold hauehave this collection ceaſe when he came emongſt them, but had it bene weekly, Paul wold rather hauehave had it reuined a freſhe at his preſence, whoe was a furtherer of all holy performances: This collection therefore was extraordinary, & tyeth vsus not to ordenary practiſe, for if it did, then were we bound eueryevery Lords day in eueryevery Congregation to gather for the poore, as a Sabbath dayes dutie. 2. This collection was extraordenary, in that it was not for their owne poore at Corinthe, but for the poore of other Churches, and therfore this mony collected was to be ſente page missing p. 24vponupon the firſt day of the weeke? If any ſhall demande which firſt day, of the weeke the Church vvas to lay aſide their almes one, becauſe there were many firſt dayes of the weeke in a yeere; I anſwere ſince I finde it not differenced from others in the text, I therefore thinke it muſt be vnderſtoode of the firſt Lords day, or firſt firſt day of the vveek, vvhichwhich came next after the Corinthians receiued this Epiſtle, like as if I ſay to a frend, come to my houſe one Saturday, it is to be vnderſtoode of the next Saturday, firſt cominge after my invitation of him.

7 A 7^th. and laſt text produced, is Ioh. 20.19.26. where Chriſts frequent apparitiones to his diſciples vponupon the Lords day, is made an argument to proue it a Sabbath daye; but by what authority or rule of juſt conſequēce Chriſts apparitions muſt conſtitute a Sabbath day, nor can I conceiue, nor euer hauehave I heard, nor doe I thinke euer ſhall heare.

I anſwere 2. whereas the frequency and conſtancy of Chriſts apparitions one the Lords day is ſo much vrged, I wold faine ſee where Chriſt appeared one the Lords day euer aboue once onelyonly and that in Ioh. 20.19. as for his ſeconde apparition in v. 26. eight dayes after: vvhichwhich is ſuppoſed to be the next Lords daye after his firſt apparition, it is quite other wiſe, for in the originall p. 25it goes thus, foreign, and after eight dayes &c. now after 8. dayes cold not be the ſame daye ſennight, vponupon the 8^th. daye, but after the 8^th. day, as on the 9^th. or 10^th. dayes after, and ſo this ſeconde apparition was not vponupon the Lords daye: I grante there is a phraſe Mark. 8.31. that Chriſt, after three dayes muſt riſe againe; and yet it muſt be vnderſtood thus, vponupon the third he muſt riſe againe: But herein we muſt knowe thus to reade it, is a departing from the naturall and proper ſenſe of the words, which is not ſufferable ſaue in a caſe of neceſſity, as to recōcile two textes of Scripture, or the like, as in this inſtance laſt propounded becauſe other textes of Scripture ſay, Chriſt roſe vponupon the thirde day, 1. Cor. 15.4. and this text Mark. 8.31. ſaith after 3. dayes &c. therfore to recōcile theſe two, we vnderſtand this latter text and the word after to be no more but vponupon but now to apply this, is there the like neceſſity in Ioh. 20.26. to vnderſtand by after vponupon? is there any other text affirminge that vponupon the 8^th. day Chriſt appeared to Thomas and the Diſciples? or is there any inconveniency or abſurdity to take the words in their commō & proper ſenſe? if neighther of theſe can be ſhowne then the readinge which I vrge is ſound and good.

I anſwere 3. if Chriſts apparition to his diſciples cold be an argument of a Sabbath day, Then page missing p. 28of Gods word for the keeping of an other day then God apointed in his morall Law or 4^th. Com: leaſt I partake of that brande of a wicked man prophecied of Daniel 7.25. in changing tymes, and the Law: now ſince it is a propriety of God to change tymes and ſeaſons Dan. 2.21. had not I need be carefull there be no new day (as is the Lords day) ſet vp for a Sabbath, vnles it can be expreſly infallibly & demonſtratiuely proued to be of Gods owne doeing? leaſt I ſay I be acceſſary to the ſin of changeing Godes tymes, Dan. 7.25.

Thus hauehave I anſwered their textes of Scripture brought for the Lords daye to be a Sabbath, and the common objections; now let vsus in next place examine their reaſons whereby the Lords day is proued a Sabbath.

1 The firſt reaſon is drawne from the frequēt and conſtant practiſe of Chriſt and of his Apoſtles celebration of the Lords day, the which is authority ſufficient for juſtification of the Lords day to be a Sabbatth:

I anſwere 1. admit Chriſt and his Apoſtles did preache on the Lords day, & thereby honour this day aboue any of the 6. working dayes, yet how doth it appeare they did this on this day to this very ende and purpoſe to ſanctifye it for a p. 29Sabbath daye, and in obedience to the 4^th. Com? let theſe 2. things be proued, or elſe nothing is done.

I anſwere 2. as touching our Sauiour Chriſt, vvhereas tis ſuppoſed he conſtantly kept the Lords day as a Sabbath: I deny it, let it be proved that euer Chriſt did ſanctifye as a Sabbath any on Lords day: Nay is not the contrary manifeſt, that Chriſt trauailed a matter of 15. miles out and home vponupon the very firſt Lords day that euer was, it beinge the moſt eminent Lords day of any euer after, becauſe it was that very Lords day whereone he roſe from the dead? ſee Luk. 24.13.33. Chriſt wēt with the 2. Diſciples from Ieruſalem to Emmaus v. 15. which is in accounte 7. miles and an halfe, counting 8. furlonges to a myle: & thence he returned to Ieruſalem backe againe that night, which is 7. myles and an halfe more: now 15. myles is aboue a Sabbath dayes Iourney, ſince a Sabbath dayes Iourney is in eſteeme, but about 2. myles Act. 1.12. Neighther can it be proued, Chriſt went to Emmaus to preach and keepe Sabbath there, for 1. he went from the Congregation of his Diſciples which he lefte behinde at Ieruſalem, and we reade not of any aſſemblyes of Diſciples that were at Emmaus; now Chriſt beinge the paſtor of his flocke, and the miniſter or preacher to his Diſciples, can it be thought he vvold leaue them deſtitute of his p. 30helpe to ſanctify the firſt Chriſtian Sabbath that euer the Church ſawe? 2. how cold Chriſt keepe that day for a Sabbath ſince he was not in the Congregation, but in the field travailing, from about noone (as is gatherable from circumſtances of the texte) and ſo forwards all the remainder of that after noone; for he went alonge with the 2. Diſciples, & they went not aboue a matter of 2. miles an howre, as is probable by the ordenary pace of trauailers, ſo then 15. miles ſpent them a matter of 7. howres: Had Chriſt imitated God in the creation (as is ſuppoſed) in ſetting vp a Sabbath day, then ſurely as God did reſt on the 7^th. day, and ſet vsus his owne paterne: ſo would Chriſt hauehave reſted all this Lords day after the worke of redemption, to hauehave bene an example to vsus. what if Chriſt being riſen from the dead cold now trauaile without paine? ſo cold God in the Creation create without paine, yet wold he leaue nothing to be created on the 7^th. day, but reſted on it, for vsus to imitate him. and Adam in Innocency cold labor without paine, yet he muſt reſt on the Sabbath daye, and what if Chriſt did open the Scriptures concerning himſelfe v.27. to the 2. Diſciples as they went on their way together, muſt this therefore be a proper Sabbath dayes worke? as the Lord by Moſes commanded (Deut. 6.6.7.) parentes, that they ſhold talke to their children of the Law of God as they walked p. 31by the way &c. on what day ſo euer; and as eueryevery Godly miniſter now rideing on the way vponupon a Saturday towards Market or fayer, will vponupon occaſion be talking to people that ride with him of heauenly and diuine things, ſo much rather wold our bleſſed Sauiour be teaching, and vponupon all occaſions inſtructing the people vponupon eueryevery day; eſpecially conſideringe it was his office to teache, and therfore a daily taske to preach in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon vponupon all occaſions, as we reade he did in the Goſpell, and as we reade Act. 1.3. Chriſt was ſeene of his Apoſtles for 40. dayes after his reſurrection, ſpeaking to them of the things appertaining to the Kingdome of God. now what did Chriſt preache more to theſe 2. Diſciples, on that Lords day, then he preached to his Apoſtles eueryevery day after it for 40. dayes together? To add one thing more, be it, you make exceptions againſt Chriſts trauailing one the Lords day, what exceptions doe you finde againſt the 2. Diſciples of Chriſt, with whome Chriſt travailed? theſe trauailed one the Lords day, Chriſt himſelfe not diſallowing, but by his companying them juſtifyed them. they vvent from the Congregation of Diſciples at Ieruſalem where the Sabbath was kept, if any where, they went to a towne not to keepe Sabbath for it was neere night ere they got thither, and they but ſtaied and ſupped and came backe againe; page missing p. 34member vvhat I hauehave formerly giuen in anſwere to the texts brought to proue the Lords day to be the Sabbath day; as for Peters ſermon Act. 2.14. it vvas not made vponupon the Lords day, but vponupon Saturday or on the Lords Sabbath day, as is proued: as for Pauls ſermon Act. 20.7. this was in the night, not in the day; now I hold the night is no parte of the day, I ſay no parte of the Lords day, as ſhall be proued here after, in my expoſition of the word Day in the 4^th. Com: yea, if they began their Sabbaths at Eueninge, as is holden by many; from euen to euen ye ſhall celebrate your Sabbath Leuit. 23.32. then Paul preacht not on the firſt day of the vveeke, but on the ſecond, becauſe he began his ſermon at Euening, after the Diſciples vvere come togeather vponupon the firſt day of the vveeke; or elſe Paul trauailed and ſet ſaile on the Lords day, if the Lords day began that euening when he began his ſermon, for next morneing he went to ſhipe Act. 20.11.13. as for that text 1. Cor. 16.2. here is no mention of any preaching at all, onelyonly it treates about a future collection &c. as for the text Ioh. 20.19. here is no mention neither of any Sermon made when Chriſt appeared to his Diſciples; tis true the text ſaith they were aſſembled indeed, but wherefore? to heare a ſermon? no ſuch thing; but text ſaith, they were aſſembled together for feare of the Iewes, like as the p. 35Lords Prophets were in Caues in Obadiahs tyme 1. King 18.4. to ſhrowde themſelues from danger of perſecutores, what other ende they had in aſſembleing the Scripture is ſilent: laſtly admit here vvas a ſermon, yet it vvas not vponupon the Lords day, for it vvas in the night following the Lords day, now the night is not in Scripture account any parte of the day, as ſhall be ſhowne: as for the text Reuel. 1.10. vvhere it is called the Lords day by John, here is not the leaſt mention of any readeing or preaching at all, nay not like there cold be any, ſince reuelations vſually came to holy men vvhen they vvere ſolitary and alone, not in aſſemblies vvhere preaching and ſermons be: thus I hauehave examined all the textes vvherein is any ſhewe of ſermons, and I finde not in any of them that euer any of the Apoſtles did ſo much as one ſingle tyme preach any one ſermon vponupon the Lords day, the vvhichwhich if it be true, as is moſt true, vvhere is any the leaſt groūd from Apoſtles practiſe of keeping the Lords day for a Sabbath, they muſt needes proue me falſe in this point, or elſe the foundation being ſhaken yea remoued, the building muſt fale: if Apoſtles neighther left precept for the Lords daye, no nor their owne practiſe, vvhoe can imagine it ſhold be a Sabbath by Gods appointment?

I anſwere laſtly, vvhereas they builde vponupon the practiſe of the Apoſtles preaching, ſo as on page missing p. 38all is, becauſe there is not in all the newe nor ould Teſtaments any commandement to ſet vp any other Sabbath then that 7^th. day from the creation, no nor ought elſe that hath the force of a commandement, as no practiſe of Chriſt nor his Apoſtles, as hauehave beene ſhowne afore nay we hauehave Gods apointement to the contrary that no day of the 6. can be Sabbath day, for in the 6. dayes vve may labour Exod. 20.9. Sixe dayes ſhalt thou labour, &c.

I anſwere 2. Be it that Saturday Sabbath being abrogated, an other Sabbath muſt riſe vp in its roome, yet it followeth not that Sunday, or the Lords day, on firſt day of the vveeke muſt neceſſarily be the new day, for there may be a Sabbath though none vpō the firſt day of the weeke, if there be one kept vponupon any of the 6. dayes, Moneday, Tewſday, Wenſday, or Thurſday &c.

But hereto it vvill be ſaid though the newe Sabbath may be on any of the 6. dayes, yet we ought to chooſe the firſt day of the weeke before all others, becauſe on it vve receiued a greater a greater bleſſing then one any other of the 6. dayes, ſince on that day our Lord Chriſt roſe from the dead, and therfore it is caled the Lords day. I anſwere 1. be it ſo that in chooſinge a day, vve ought to take that day which hath neere relation to the greateſt bleſſing, yet vvold we imitate God in inſtituting a Sabbath at Creation, we p. 39ſhold not ſet a parte for a Sabbath that very day vvhereon vve receiued that bleſſing, or whereon Chriſt performed it, but the day after it, ſo God hauing finiſhed his vvorke of creation on the 6^th. day, he then ſanctifyed the day after, the 7^th. day: & ſo it ſeemeth the beleeuing Iewes learned of God to ſet a parte the day after a deliuerance, not the very day, ſee Eſter 9.17.18. vvhere the Iewes that conquered their enemies on the 13^th. day of the monethmonth, they reſted on the 14^th. day of the month, and keept it a day of feaſting and ioye; and thoſe Iewes that conquered on the 13^th. and 14^th. dayes, they reſted on the 15^th. daye: But vve immitate neither God, nor thoſe Godly Iewes, for vve reſt vponupon the very day where on we receiued that great bleſſing, that is vponupon the firſt day of the weeke, wherein the Lord roſe; and we ſhold reſt rather on the ſecond day of the vveeke, which is Moneday: I anſwere 2. be it ſo, that the Lords day were to be kept of vsus aboue any other day, in memory of the reſurrection of our Lord, yet it followeth not that vve ſhold count and keepe eueryevery firſt day of the vveeke, and one day in 7. for a Sabbath, for this were Iewiſh (as it is caled) and to imitate God in the creation; but we Chriſtians hauehave an other patterne, that is Chriſt the Lord and Redemer to imitate, and that in reſpect of the worke of Redemption: So as if we hold it beſt to p. 40ſanctify the very day whereon Chriſt roſe; why then muſt we ſanctifye eueryevery third day for our new Sabbath, and cale and counte eueryevery third day ſince the firſt Lords day vvhereon Chriſt roſe, The Lords day; let it fale vponupon the firſt day of the weeke, or on the 2^th. or 3^th. or 4^th. &c. one any day of the weeke: my reaſon is becauſe the Scriptures telleth vsus that our Lord Chriſt roſe vponupon the 3^th. daye, as God reſted on the 7^th. day; ſo then Chriſt being crucified one good Friday, and riſeing againe one our Suneday, it appeares he was but 3. dayes vponupon the worke of redemption: Now if vve Chriſtians muſt imitate Chriſt in the worke of redemption, as did the Iewes God in the worke of creation, Then looke as God working 6. dayes and reſting the 7^th. the Iewes alſo wrought 6. dayes and reſted the 7^th. So as Chriſt was 3. dayes, or 3. partes of 3. dayes, in the worke of redemption, and reſted from the ſame ſufferings on the third day, In like manner ſhold we Chriſtians in imitation of Chriſt worke 3. dayes, or 3. partes of three dayes, and reſt on the third, keeping it for a Sabbath: So we ſhold not then keepe theſe we now call Lords dayes for our Sabbath but others, nor keepe a Sabbath once in 7. dayes, but ont once eueryevery 3. dayes.

I anſwere now to the reaſon whereby they wold chooſe out the Lords day afore any other p. 41of the 6. dayes for a Sabbath, becauſe on that day we receiued the Lord from the dead, the greateſt worke and mercy that euer we receiued &c. here vntounto I anſwere, if the greateſt worke ſhall determine the day, which it ſhall be, Then in myn account as farr at yet I can ſee, good Friday ſhold be our new Sabbath day: for on that day Chriſt performed the greateſt work of any other day; let vsus therefore compare theſe 3. dayes vvorkes; on good Friday (not to mention the the particulares of his grieueouſſe paſſion) Chriſt vponupon the croſſe hanging there in our roomes, bare that moſt intollerable and inſupportable wrath of God, which was due for the ſins of all Gods elect, from beginning to the end of the world, vvhichwhich wrath was ſo hote as cauſed him to vtter theſe words, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and then as hauing borne the vtmoſt of his fathers wrath for ſins of his elect, he yeelded vp his Spirit with theſe words, It is finiſhed, Ioh. 19.30. as for the next day, the 2^d. day of his paſſion, our Saturday, and ſo alſo for the 3^d. day of his paſſion, our Sunday, vntill he roſe, what cold he ſuffer? his ſoule vvas in paradiſe, his body in the graue dead and ſenſeleſſe: now judge vvhither of theſe 3. dayes had the greateſt worke done in, in which of them but Friday was the greateſt paſſion? or if you vvill compare Chriſts reſurrection with his paſſion, p. 42I truſt it vvill be fond a greater vvorke for his Deity to ſupporte the Humanity vponupon the croſſe, then to ſend his ſoule from heauen into his dead body in the graue to quicken and raiſe it vp.

But you will ſay on the 3^d. day Chriſt roſe, with out which all the former had beene inſufficient 1. Cor. 15.14. if Chriſt be not riſen our preaching, and your faith is in vaine &c. and Chriſt died for our ſines, and roſe againe for our juſtification, Rom. 4.25. ſo that it is rather the day wherein all was perfectly finiſhed, then the day wherin the greateſt worke was done, that we ſhold keepe for our Sabbath: where to I anſwere 1. Chriſt vponupon the croſſe on good Friday ſaid then, it is finiſhed Ioh. 19.30. ſecōdly, if you will ſtay for a day where in eueryevery complement vvas fulfilled, then muſt you make your Sabbath on Aſcentiō day being Thurſday: or rather you muſt tarry till the worlds end: till Chriſt hath conquered ſines & death, 1. Cor. 15.26.56. if therfore by reaſons we ſhall inſtitute Sabbathes, it may be thought good Friday is the only day for our new Sabbath, or elſe to tarry till this worlds end.

4 A 4^th. & maine reaſon of all is to this effect; If the Iewes kept a Sabbath in memory of Gods Creation, Then much more ought Chriſtians keepe an other Sabbath in memory of Chriſts Redemption: and the common reaſon hereof is, p. 43becauſe the worke of Redemption is a greater worke then the worke of Creation.

I anſwere 1. the reaſon is not the ſame, and therfore it followeth not; for the Iewes they did not ſet vp a Sabbath on their owne heads, with out a precept for their direction, only to commemorate the creation, if they had, it had beene no better then will worſhip, but they ſtayed for a Commandement from the God of the creation to command them a Sabbath by his 4^th. Comm: and to tell them which day of the 7. to keepe; & it was Gods Commandement principally that ſet them one worke to keep a Sabbath; novv this which is the maine for the keeping of a Sabbath day, is left ont in their argument, as if Gods Comm: were but a by thing and not neceſſarily preſuppoſed in eueryevery Sabbath: wherfore let them put into their argument the main and principall thing mouing the Iewes to keepe the Sabbath, that is Gods 4^th Com: and then I fault not their argument, as novv I doe, but I bide them proue likewiſe that we Chriſtians hauehave ſuch ſtrong reaſons to keep our Lords day a Sabbath, as Jevves had for their day, that is, I require to ſhew me where Chriſt or his Apoſtles left vsus an expreſſe Commandement to ſanctify the Lords day, as God did to the Iewes to ſanctify the 7^th. day, and then I ſay indeed, If the Iewes kept the 7^th. day, vve Chriſtians ought keep the 8^th. day. Or thus p. 46is greater then the worke of creation? if it be greater the anſwere vvill be to the elect and to the redeemed it is greater: vvell be it ſo, but what is this to our queſtion, which is generall of all Chriſtians that liue vvith in the pale of the Church, affirming that if Iewes, that is, all Iewes kept a Sabbath for the creation, then ought Chriſtians, that is all men vvith in the pale of the Church, keep a Sabbath for redemption: ſo the queſtion being generall of all men with in the Church, you bring a reaſon to enforce all theſe men, to keepe a new Sabbath, which reaſon is proper to ſome of theſe men only: as if you wold thus argue all men are bound to keep the Lords day for a Sabbath, becauſe the Lord died for ſome of theſe men: this arguing is much like abſurde to this; If the Iewes vnderunder King Ahaſhueroſh Eſter 9.17. did ſolemnize a day eueryevery yeere with feaſting and ioye, in memory of their deliuerance from Hamans conſpiracy, Then ſo ought Chriſtians, both Engliſh, French, Dutchmen and Spanyardes &c. that is all Chriſtians ſolemnize a day eueryevery yeare with like feaſting and ioye, in memory of our deliuerance from Spanyardes in the yeare 88. or from Papiſtes powder treaſon on 5^th. Nouember: and here to may be added a like reaſon, as that our deliuerance in 88. or on 5^th. of Nouember, vvas as great as that of the Iewes from Haman: now vvho doth not ſee the p. 74vanity of this kinde of arguing? yet juſt thus doe they argue to ſet vp the Lords day for a Sabbath: as here tis argued from a particular deliuerance of ſome Chriſtians, as Engliſh men, to all Chriſtians: as French, Dutch, and Spanyards, vvhoe had no ſhare in that deliuerance of 88. and 5^th of Nouember; juſt ſo doe they argue, from a particular deliuerance of ſome Chriſtians as Gods elect, vntounto all Chriſtians both elect and reprobate, beleeuers and vnbeleeuers: what reaſon is it that ſuch as hauehave no parte in Chriſt as a Redeemer, ſhold weekely celebrate on whole day, neglecting their proffit and callings, in memory of Chriſt the Redeemer? of right therfore only ſuch a day ſhold be a Sabbath as bindes all and eueryevery man, one as well as an other; and ſuch is the 7^th day Sabhath, in memory of the creation, for in the creation we all, beleeuers and vnbeleeuers hauehave our ſhare, not ſo in the redemption. I conclude therfore, that though the worke of redemption be greater then the worke of creation, and therfore doth require a Sabbath, as well as the creation, yet doth it not require ſo generall & univerſall a Sabbath as did the work of creation; all men are not bounde to the one, as they are to the other: Nor can I conceiue how any more men ſhold be bound to keep this Sabbath, by this reaſon, then only a fewe which doe actually beleeue in Chriſt, an handfull of page missing p. 50moſt free Agentes, ſo as they eighther of thē produce effectes at their pleaſure by Counſaile, ſo as they be not tyed euer to produce the ſame effectes the one as doth the other: that this is ſo, will appeare euen in theſe pointes in queſtion, it pleaſed God to create the vvorld by action, but it pleaſed Chriſt to redeeme the vvorld by paſſion: 2. it pleaſed the Father to be 6. dayes in creation, but it pleaſed the Sonne to be but 3. dayes in redemption: 3. it pleaſed the Father to reſt on the Sabbath day: but it pleaſed the Sonne not to reſt on the Lords day, but to trauaile 15. miles to Emmaus and backe againe. 4. it pleaſed God to leaue a commandement in wrighting to poſterity to keepe the Sabbath day; but it pleaſed not our Sauiour Chriſt to leaue any commandement for the keeping the Lords day. if therfore God & Chriſt be ſo variouſe in their actions, how will it follow, that if God kept a Sabbath, or inſtituted one in creation, then Chriſt muſt neceſſarily inſtitute an other like Sabbath at redemption?

5 A 5^th reaſon, ſeemes to ground on the 4^th. Com: thus; The 4^th Comm: enioynes a 7^th day for the Sabbath, now our Lords day is a 7^th day, for we keepe it eueryevery 7^th day for a Sabbath.

I anſwere 1. the 4^th Comm: enioyneth ſuch a 7^th day for a Sabbath, as is and vvas amongſt the Jewes called by his proper name, the Sabbath p. 51day alſo, now our Lords day vvas called vvith them eighther the firſt day of the vveeke, or the firſt day after the Sabbath, ſo it can not be that 7^th day there meante. 2. if we call our Lords day the 7^th day: vve departe from all churches, vvhichwhich call it the 8^th day, or the firſt day of the vveeke, as doe all the 4. Euangeliſtes in the Goſpell: 3. if you call the Lords day a 7^th day. I pray, vvhere or at what day vvill you begin to reckone for your firſt day of the 7? you muſt begine at ſome renowmed day, as at the firſt day of vvorlds creation: or at the firſt day of the worlds redemption, tis groundleſſe to ſet any other beginning; now Sunday is the common reputed day for the firſt day of the vvorlds creation; and the 7^th from it is Saturday the Lords Sabbath day: but if you refuſe this beginning, and vvill fetche a firſt from the redemption, then good Friday vvhereon Chriſt ſuffred muſt be the firſt day of your 7: and then Thurſday will be your 7^th day, and ſo your Sabbath day: or elſe Sunday vvhereon Chriſt roſe, muſt be your firſt day, and then Saturday, the Jewes Sabbath day vvill be your 7^th day and new Sabbath day now behold though you ſeeme to ſtande to a 7^th day for your Sabbath, yet you cannot any approued vvay make the Lords day a 7^th day: vnles, you take Mooneday for your firſt day of the weeke, which no approued Authores doe, and vvhichwhich computation p. 52is not Diuine in ould or new Teſtaments, but is merely humane and deuiſed. and by like reaſon if you groundleſly begine at Mooneday, may not vve begine at Tewſday, or Wenſday, or Thurſday, &c. and ſo ſkippe ouer as many dayes as vve pleaſe, ſo as no man ſhall knovv vvhere or vvhen to begine, nor vvhat day ſhall be his 7^th day for a Sabbath? & if we may ſkipe ouer as many dayes as we pleaſe before vve take one for our firſt day: may vve not ſkipp ouer as vvell 7. dayes as one day? and if vve may ſkipp ouer 7. dayes: why not 700. or 7000 dayes? and ſo, many vveekes, yea yeeres may be vvithout any Sabbath.

6 A 6^th & laſt reaſon they fetcht from practiſe of the primitiue Churches; for the Hiſtoryes of the Church ſay they relate that they kept the Lords day for a Sabbath conſtantly.

I anſwere 1. I finde the contrary, and that alleadged too by M. Perkins vponupon the 4^th Com: vvhoe thus ſpeakes? The Sabbath (meaning it the Lords day) was neglected of thoſe Churches vvhichwhich ſucceded the Apoſtles, vntill afterwards it vvas eſtabliſhed by Chriſtian Emperoures: & this he proues to be ſo by alleaging his author for it, Leo: and Anton. Edict. of holy dayes. now if M^r. Perkins vvhoe vvas ſo well ſeene in hiſtory of our churches vvould affirme this, and that p. 53too whē he pleaded vvhat he could for our nevv Sabbath, then ſurely in his judgement, it vvas a cleere caſe that the primitiue churches kept not our Lords day euer, or conſtantly. 2. Ignatius, vvhere he exhorted to keepe the Lords day: there he exhorted to keepe the Sabbath day too. now it is not likly both theſe dayes vvere kept for Sabbathes, but that one only, and that was the Sabbath day, as is gatherable, in that Ignatius calles the Lords day the Queene and Princeſſe of all dayes, vvhere he left out a higher place for the Sabbath day, as the Kings & Prince of all dayes. it is likly therfore that our Lords day was kept as we keepe an holy day with vsus: & vvhen thoſe Chriſtian Emperoures did eſtabliſhe by Lawes our Lords day to be ſolemnized, at which tymes it flouriſhed moſt: yet euen then they kept it not as a Sabbath day, but as vve keepe an Holy day. for Conſtantin the Emperour, & moſt religiouſe patrone of our Lords day, as is vvell knowne in his Edicte for the celebrating of the Lords day; yet therein gaue liberty for men to doe vvorkes of Huſbandry on the Lords day. now ploughing and ſowing, and reaping, and the like worke of huſbandry be quite againſt the very letter of the 4^th Comm: and againſt and contrary to that reſt from all ſeruile vvorkes, in earing & in harueſt, and at other tymes, enioyned in the Law for Sabbath day duties: can we thinke Conſtantin, p. 54directed by his reuerēd Clergy would can giuen ſuch liberty had they counted the Lords day for the Sabbath day, and to ſtand by the 4^th Comm? finally, if vve ſhould imitate the primitiue churches as touching dayes: vve ſhould weekely keepe holy Friday vvhereon Chriſt ſuffered, as vvell as Sunday whereon Chriſt roſe. for Conſtantin did by one and the ſame Law commande his whole Empire to ſanctifye the Friday, and the Sunday, the day before the Iewes Sabbath, & the day after it, ſee Euſeb. de vita Conſtant. lib. 4. cap. 18. and ſee Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 8. the Lords day, becauſe of Chriſts reſurrection, the Friday, becauſe of Chriſts paſſion, as ſaith the text: and here againe it appeareth the primitiue church kept not the Lords day for their Sabbath, no more then they kept Friday for their Sabbath, but both of them as we keepe holy dayes.

Hauing anſwered all their reaſons that I can finde or heare of, in next place let me paſſe my cenſure of reaſons in generall. How feeble a thing our beſt and refined reaſon is eueryevery man may knovv that vſeth reaſon? S. Paul ſhall ſpeake for vsus, vve know but in parte: & we ſee through a glaſſe darkely, 1. Cor. 12.9.12. ſaith he. 2. let all our lerned Diuines ſpeake, vvhoe not only in publique prayers to God confeſſe our blindneſſe of minde; but moreouer, in their Sermons they p. 55dare not deliuer a doctrine collected by reaſon out of their text, vnles they can ſoundly proue the ſame by ſome plaine text or other, as you ſee their conſtant and laudable practiſe is, and this they doe, leaſt they ſhould deliuer for doctrines mens preceptes, vvhereby you ſee what an holy ielouſy they hauehave of their reaſon, that though in their priuate ſtudies, they hauehave collected a doctrine by helpes both of nature and artes with great diligence: yet dare they not truſt to their reaſon vntill they finde God in his word to backe them. 3. let Logicianes ſpeake, vvhoe are the maſters in reaſon; doe not they in their bookes of Logicke ſhew how many and ſondry wayes reaſon is ſubiect to be corrupted by fallacies and Sophiſticall arguments? all which teſtimonies of the dimeneſſe and weakeneſſe of our reaſon, teacheth vsus thus much; that as it is too great boldneſſe vvith God, and ouergreate confidence in our reaſon, by bare force of it to diſpute againſt any thing which God hath ſet vp, as the 7^th day Sabbath: So it is a matter of no leſſe diſpraiſe and preſumption by only force of reaſon & conſequence to innouate and ſet vp a new Sabbath. and yet for all this. doe I not exclude the vſe of reaſon about the Holy Scriptures, ſo be it be but to finde out vvhat God ſaith in his vvord. I only exclude the vſe of reaſon as by collections to add any thing to Gods vvord, wherfore I p. 56reiect all reaſons and conſequences touching in nouation and bringing in a new Sabbath, vnleſſe as diuines backe their doctrines in ſermons by plaine textes: ſo theſe doe backe eueryevery collection and conſequence by a cleere text of Scripture or at leaſt, if I may be bould to grante ſo much, that eueryevery collection and conſequence be ſuch as is neceſſarily and demonſtratiuely true, ſo as it apparantly cannot but be true: Hence is that laudable vſage of our church, which though it permitteth Apocrypha Scriptures to be reade ſometymes in our congregations: yet it permitteth them not to be vſed and alleaged as a ſole ground to eſtabliſhe any doctrine of our church. and what I pray is our reaſon better then Apocrypha Scriptures, that wee ſhuld leane more to tone then to other? vvere it meete, we ſhould receiue doctrines into the church vvhichwhich hauehave a binding power ouer the conſcience, tying the whole man to obedience of them, vponupon payne of damnation, vvhichwhich are framed and maintainede only by force of our reaſon? wherfore to conclude let reaſons be ſubſeruient and handmaide to the Holy Scriptures, and euer follow them, neuer to goe before them, nor to goe vvithout them. and therfore ſince our Sauiour Chriſt and his Apoſtles be auouched to be the founders of our new Sabbath: I pray in the firſt place ſhewe vsus where euer Chriſt, or any of his Apoſtles gaue p. 57any commandement for it, or whereas you ſay collection for the poore, & preaching, be markes of a Sabbath; ſhew me your text of Scripture vvhere it is ſaid that collections & preaching be proper & infallible markes of any Sabbath day. or which is yet leſſe, let it be ſhowne where euer they ſaid or did any thing, which neceſſarily and infallibly doth giuegive vsus notice, that it was but their minde, that euer after, the churches ſhould eueryevery weeke keepe the Lords day a Sabbath, in conſcience of the 4^th Com: and ſince God at creation gaue a commandement for that Sabbath, vvhy ſhould we not thinke Chriſt would a giuen a commandement too for this Sabbath, if euer he had intended to hauehave had it kept as a Sabbath? vvould God giuegive a commandement for his Sabbath, and Chriſt leaue his Sabbath without a commandement, and to be collected by feeble reaſon? vvas our Sauiour ſo carefull to giuegive a commandement for the Lords Supper, to be done in remembrance of him; and did he forget thinke you to leaue a commandement for the Lords day, to be kept in remembrance of him? could it be poſſible, a matter of ſo great importance as is a Sabbath, and ſuch a Sabbath as would make ſo much for his remembrance to the worlds ende, ſhould be paſſed ouer in deepe ſilence, not only by Chriſt himſelfe, but alſo by his ſucceeding Apoſtles, ſo as not only not to commande p. 58it, but which yet is leſſe not ſo much as mention it by the name of a Sabbath? whoe that conſidereth of this, would or could euer thinke that Chriſt did inſtitute and appointe this Lords day for a Sabbath? vvas not theſe thoſe conſiderations which made Calvin vponupon Col. 2.16. ſay, it is not vnlawfull to labour & worke on our Sabbathes? thus in effecte hee: was not this it alſo which moued zanchie vponupon the 4^th com: Theſis 1. to ſay, The Apoſtles left the Lords day at liberty; and that we are not bounde to keepe it for a Sabbath, by any bonde or tye of conſcience: thus hee. To come yet nerer home, to our owne diuines; was it not hence that Perkins though a greate frend to the Lords day for Sabbath, as Walaeus on the 4^th com: quoteth him, thus Perkins ingenuouſly (ſaith he) confeſſeth, that as touching Chriſts inſtitution, the argumentes he bringes for our Lords day, they be not neceſſary, but only probable ones &c. and ſee Perk: caſes of conſcience chapt. 16. vvhere the holy man durſt not ſpeake to the conſcience peremptorily as of a thing for certaine true, but tremblingly as it were, repeatinge his doubtfull ſpeeches, 3. or 4. tymes ouer, in 6. or 8. lines wrighting as 1. In all likely hoode, ſaith he: 2. as I take it &c. 3. now I ſuppoſe &c. 4. for in theſe pointes ſtil we muſt goe by likely hoodes &c. ſurely, had there beene any ſufficient grounds for our new p. 59Sabbath, this holy man durſt not hauehave concealed them, no nor would he hauehave ſpake ſo doubtfully, whoe in other pointes ſpeakes peremptorily and confidently: and was it not hence that Doctour Prideaux in his worke vponupon the Sabbath, ſaith, where is there the leaſt mention of ſurrogation of the Lords day in roome of the? Sabbath? pag. 140. Againe, where (ſaith he) amongſt the Euangeliſts, or Apoſtles, is there any diſtinct inſtitution of the Lords day? yea further, where is the texte whence you will neceſſarily proue it? vvhat ſhould I reckone vp particular men, is it not the doctrine of our churche? very lately a booke came to my hands, printed at Oxford in the yeere 1621. written by M. Broad, touching the Sabbath, where on the margent pag. 2. thus he wrighteth; Chriſtian people choſe the firſt day of the weeke, and made it their Sabbath, ſaith the booke of Homilies: By the doctrine then of our church, ſaith M. Broad, the obſeruation of the Lords day, is an Eccleſiaſticall ordinance, and not an Apoſtolicall precept: & againe pag. 21. It is not by any expreſſe command from Chriſt or his Apoſtles, but by an ordinance of the church, as is the doctrine of many great diuines, and of our church in the booke of Homilies, that we ſanctify the Lords day, rather then any other day of the weeke, thus wrighteth M. Broade of the Lords day, and of its inſtitution, as being in p. 60the judgement of our owne church, not from God, nor from Chriſt, but from certaine Godly chriſtian, and well diſpoſed people.

One obiection remaineth to be remoued, which is, That the Church of God hath kept this Lords day for a Sabbath many hundreds of yeeres; and can it be thought Gods whole church ſhould erre, and that ſo long?

I anſwere, tis true indeed, we ought to hould a reuerent regard of the tenentes of our Mother the church, ſo as not lightely nor raſhely to receiue any opinions which blemiſhe hir practiſe: Neuertheleſſe this we muſt know alſo, that the church whilſt on earth is liable to miſcariages through ignorance, for as much as God doth not reueale his whole truth to hir at once, but ſucceſſiuely now on thing, and then another, as ſhe is able to beare it, & as the tymes may permite, and as it ſeemes good to his Godly pleaſure; doe we not ſee, daily light is brought into the church, and God reueales himſelfe more and more? and what doth this argue, but what we cannot deny, that is, that before ſuch light came, we were in darkenes and error, as touching thoſe pointes? yea we muſt grante the church may & doth erre in ſome things vnles we will affirme that ſhee is growne to fulneſſe of ſtature, and perfection in knowledge, ſo as nothing more can be added: I p. 61verily perſwade my ſelfe theſe very cōceipts that the true Church of God cannot erre in any maine thing, is the very foundation of errour in thoſe mindes where ſuch conceipts rule: for vvhoe would be ſo idle to ſpend labour and tyme, to try all thinges: and with the Bereanes, to ſerch the Scriptures, if alredy our curch hath tryed all, and ſerched all to perfection, ſo as they hauehave no vvayes erred? more humble thoughts of our church doth better become vsus: all that I aime at hereby is no more but this, that we alleage not the practiſe of our church as an infallible rule & touch ſtone of truth, but though a Paul preacht it, yet with theſe Bareanes Act. 17.11. rather to ſerche the Scriptures then to rely vponupon the Teſtimony of man.

Finally, that our church hath kept this Lords day ſo longe; and therfore the more ſtrange it ſhould be an errour: I anſwere, tis true the Lords day hath beene kept for about this 1200. yeeres; as nere as I can gueſſe from about the yeere 364. at which tyme the Laodicean counſaile enacted a Law for the aboliſhing the Sabbath day, and for the ſole ſetting vp the Lords day: till then both dayes were in vſe, ſaue that as hath beene ſhowne the Lords day was ſometymes omitted: ſince then, only the Lords day hath beene in requeſt, and that is about a 1200. yeeres; but here it is to be noted, what church it is that principally page missing p. 64ground of our future diſcourſe, I thinke it needfull therfore in the firſt place to ſtay a while vponupon the expoſition of it, or rather of ſome ſuch things in it, as may make way for our future diſcourſe.

Firſt, as touching the ſubſtance of the Com: note, that as in a bonde you hauehave two eſſentiall things: thone, is the ſumme of mony to be paide; the other is the day when it is to be paide: and as in circumciſion there was two things commanded, the one vvas the acte of circumciſion; the other was the tyme and day when to be done that is, on the 8^th day, Geneſ. 17.12. and as in that other Sacrament the paſſeouer, two things were commanded: the one was the ſlaying and eating of the paſſeouer; the other, was the tyme and day when to be done, that is, on the 14^th day of the month, Exod. 12.6.8. Iuſt ſo, in this 4^th Com: God commandeth vsus expreſly two things, as eſſentiall partes of his Com: the one is Holineſſe and Reſt; the other is, the tyme when theſe ought to be performed, and that is in the Sabbath day, which is the 7^th day: the former may be called the duties in the day, the latter, the dutie of the day: the duties in the day ye hauehave in theſe wordes; To keepe it holy, Exod. 20.8. the other duty in theſe wordes; In it thou ſhalt not doe any worke, v. 10. the duty of the day, ye hauehave in theſe wordes; Remember the Sabbath day v. 8. the 7^th day is the Sabbath, v. 10.

p. 65The vſe of this point ſerues for confutation; Is it ſo that God in his 4^th Com: ſtraightly chargeth vsus two things, that is the duties in the day, and the dutie of the day, or thus, the duties to be performed, and the tyme when they be to be performed? how is it then that ſo many ſay of the tyme of the 4^th com: oh the tyme, that is but an accident, but a circumſtance, God regards not circumſtances ſo much, it is the ſubſtance of the duties to be performed in the tyme that God lookes at &c. and therfore you are but ſuperſtitiouſe and vaine to ſtand ſo much vponupon tyme: where to I anſwere 1. tyme may here be conſidered two wayes, 1. in relation to the duties of Holineſſe and Reſt: and ſo I grant the tyme is an adiuncte, wherein theſe duties were to be performed: 2. in relation to the commandement it ſelfe; conſidered as a thing commanded, together with Holines and Reſt: and thus it is no adjuncte, but thus it is an eſſentiall part of the Com: the tyme being no leſſe commanded then the duties of Holines and Reſt. I anſwere 2. but admite that tyme, here were an accident or adjuncte to the Com: and that you eſteeme of adjunctes as light and triuiale matters, little or nothing to be regard for their nature as in them ſelues, & in compariſon of things ſubſtātiall &c. I ſay, be it the tyme here were as mynte and annyſe and commine, and the duties to be performed page missing p. 68Sabbath day: Remember the Sabbath day &c. vvhere it is to be noted that this phraſe Sabbath day was emong the Iewes a proper name for one of theire weeke dayes, namly for that weeke day, which is the laſt of the weeke, as Saturday is with vsus, and it anſweres to our Saturday, in ſo much as if we ſhold tranſlate the Hebrew words Sabbath day we ſhold reade it Saturday. Remember Saturday, to keepe it holy &c. now that Sabbath day was a proper name of one of their weeke dayes is apparant to all, ſince they counted all the other 6. dayes of the weeke by the Sabbath day; thus, the 7^th. and laſt day of the weeke they called Sabbath day: the firſt day of the vveeke; our Suneday, they called the firſt of the Sabbath: the ſecond day of the weeke, our Moonday, they called the ſeconde of the Sabbath: our Tewſday, the thirde of the Sabbath &c. ſo as you ſee no day of the weeke was called Sabbath day, but this one only: I confeſſe the word Sabbath, ſignifieth a Reſt; but it alſo ſignifieth a proper name of the laſt day of their weeke. Secondly, if this be not enough to ſhew that God had ſett aparte one certaine well knowne day afore any of the other 6. dayes for Holy duties. Then marke what the Lord ſaith further in this Com: The Seaventh day is the Sabbath &c. not the third day, nor the 4^th. day, nor the firſt day of p. 69the weeke, but the 7^th. day is the Sabbath: where to take hence all ſcruples aboute the order of the day, it hath pleaſed God for our certaine information to pointe directly and diſtinctly to the day which he wold hauehave kept, as by the finger, ſaying, The Seaventh day; Thouchinge which word of number Seaventh it is to be noted, that it is not a Cardinall number, but an Ordinall, notifying which for order: the propertie whereof is to denote, 1. one, and one only: 2. it notes that indiuiduall particular one, which for order is the laſt of that number: for inſtance, The Thirde: it is not any of the three, as the ſecond, nor the firſt; but it is the laſt of the three: ſo the fifthe, it is not the 4^th. nor the ſecond, but it is the laſt of the 5: ſo, the Seaventh day is the Sabbath; not the 6^th. day, nor the third day, nor the firſt day of the weeke, but the laſt day of the weeke, the 7^th. is the Sabbath: ſo againe you ſee the Lord hath culled out the laſt day of the 7. for his Sabbath, and hath not lefte it indefinitly and vndetermined: Furthermore, left any ſhold thinke the 7^th. day may be ſeparated from that day called the Sabbath day, as is vſually thought; therefore note 1. the Lord God hath ioyned them together in his Comm. The 7^th. day is the Sabbath, ſee Levit: 23.3. and Exod: 35.2. Luk: 13.14. not the 8^th. nor the firſt; now what God hath ioyned let noe man put aſunder. 2. Note, p. 70that theſe two; The 7^th. day: and the Sabbath day: they be vſed in holy Scripture promiſcuouſly, as both pointeing at the ſame very day and tyme, ſee Geneſ. 2.3. God bleſſed the 7^th. day and hallowed it &c. the which Moſes repeateing againe Exod: 20.11. ſaith, The Lord bleſſed the Sabbath day and hallowed it: ſo as a man may ſay, the 7^th. day is the Sabbath day: and the Sabbath day is the 7^th. day: take away one, and take avvay both; graunte one and graunt both: they are like the names Ieſus, and Chriſt: both which belonge to one perſon, our bleſſed Sauiour: or like to the names, Lords day; and firſt day of the weeke, both which belonge to our Sunday. Thirdly, the particularity of the tyme and day is apparantly pointed vntounto in the reaſon of the 4^th. Comm: which is fetcht from the day wherein God reſted, thus, That day which I the Lord ſanctified, the ſame day muſt thou ſanctifie: But the 7^th. day I the Lord ſanctified: Therfore the 7^th. day muſt thou ſanctifie: novv ſince tis abſurde to thinke the premiſſes ſhold ſpeake of one 7^th. day, and the concluſion of ſome other 7^th. day, therfore if vve can finde out what 7^th. day it was God reſted on, vve may by it knovv vvhat day vve muſt reſt on; now tis moſt apparant that God reſted vponupon the 7^th. day from the creation, which was that day which immediatly followed the ſix p. 71dayes of creation. So then are vve to keepe by virtue of the Com: the ſame particular ſeaventh day which next followerh Gods and our ſix dayes labour.

The vſe of this pointe is 1. to diſcouer the errour of our tymes, which vvill apply this 4^th. Com: to the 8^th. day, or to the firſt day of the vveeke, which is appropriated to the ſeaventh day of the weeke by God the Lavvgiuer: or will applie it to the Lords day, which is the day after the Sabbath, vvhen the Com: is appropriate to the Sabbath day, vvhichwhich is the day before the Lords day.

Vſe 2. is for refutation of thoſe that ſay, it matters not ſo be vve giuegive God a day, which it is: ſo be vve giuegive God a Sabbath, or a 7^th day, it matters not whither this or that day: Noe, ſay you it matters not which, vvhy then did God take ſuch care to decipher out the very day vvherein he vvold be ſerued, by thos 3. markes, 1. he telleth you tis the Sabbath day. 2. that tis the 7^th day. 3. that tis that 7^th day whereon himſelfe reſted? Further, this vvere to make hallovved things common, and common things hollowed; and to croſſe God, vvhoe therfore culled out the 7^th day from the others, becauſe in it he had reſted, Geneſ. 2.3. Exod. 20.11. beſids the reaſon vvhy God hallovved the 7^th day, vvas becauſe in it he had reſted: which p. 72reaſon cannot be true of any day of the 7. ſaue the 7^th. If God vvold require it at their hands that did not circumciſe one the 8^th. daye, and eate the Paſſeouer one the 14^th day, the which tymes God did vvithout repetition once only in the ſame text mention, vvhat vvill he doe to vsus to vvhome he hath deceiphred out that tyme by 3. ſuch notable markes, in the 4^th Comm: it is noe dallying vvith God.

Vſe 3. is for confutation of a common but frivolouſe anſvvere, ſaying. vvhen they be vrged to this particular ſett time of 7^th day from creation: the Com: ſpeakes not of The Sabbath: but of A Sabbath: by a Sabbath vnderſtanding any day indefinitly and vncertainly: & thus they make Gods ſett and certaine tymes vncertaine and doubtfull, vvhichwhich is quite contrary to Gods minde, ſince God did limite and determine vvhichwhich of the 7. dayes he vvould hauehave, by thoſe 3. notable markes aboue ſaide: vvhen the Lord ſaid, Remember the Sabbath day: the Ievves vvere not lefte at randome, as not knovving vvhichwhich day of the 7. God meante, for they knevv it vvel, like as if God ſhold ſay, Remember Saturday: is it vncertaine vvhichwhich day of the vveeke Saturday vvith vsus is? Furthermore, this reading of A for The it croſſeth all our Tranſlatours both ould and nevv, vvho iudge it the moſt fitt to reade it. The not A p. 73Remember The Sabbath day: not Remember A Sabbath day: finally, were it lawfull thus to wreſt Scripture, whereas the third Comm: is, Thou ſhalt not take The name of the Lord thy God in vaine &c. might not I here cauile thus; Thou ſhalt not take A name of the Lord thy God in vaine; vnderſtanding by A name ſome Titles and Attributes of God vncertaine what, or which: or vnderſtanding by A name ſome name of God as then vnknowne, like as by A Sabbath, we wold hauehave our new Sabbath meant, which then to the Iewe at Mount Sinay was vtterly vnknowne? In a worde were this lawfull might not I in like ſorte delude them of the Lords day, for being the firſt day of the weeke? and whereas S. Iohn ſaith Revel. 1.10. I was rauiſhed in the Spitit on The Lords day: I might ſay, on A Lords day; vnderſtanding it of any day of the weeke vncertaine which. Againe ſince neighther Chriſt, nor the 4. Euangeliſtes, nor any of the Apoſtles after Chriſts reſurrection, did euer alter the name Sabbath, from Saturday, ther for Saturday is ſtill the Sabbath day by name.

Beſides, this vſe is likevviſe to be vrged by way of confutation to thoſe who wold hauehave it reade or vnderſtode not The Seauenth, but A Seauenth day, as of an vncertaine day; the whie is made certaine by God: for it is ſuch a ſeauenth day as is the laſt day of 7, or of the weeke: 2. tis page missing

p. 763. Thus hauing fonde out the particular time and day of Gods worſhip; before I can come to ſpeake of the duties to be performed in the day, we hauehave 4. more particulares to ſpeake of concerning the time: 1. to Remember this time 2. that it is called Sabbath: 3. that tis called a Day: 4. of the reaſon why God Sanctified this day afore any other: To handle theſe in order as they laye in the Comm.

Remember &c. here the Lord prefixeth a Memorandum to the ſeauenth day Sabbath: Remember the Sabbath day &c. a reaſon why God prefixeth a Remembrance to this Comm: is rendred by diuines, to be for preuention of careleſnes and forgetfulneſſe one the 6. working dayes, of the Sabbath next enſuing; leaſt that men leaue ſome common workes of the 6. dayes to be done on the ſeauenth day Sabbath; this I confeſſe a truth indeed, but this is not all I ſuppoſe; for, if one demaundes a reaſon why God prefixeth a Memorandum to this Comm: more then to any other of the Commandements, that cannot be the reaſon, becauſe by not forethinking of the Sabbath, ſome vvorkes are left to be done on the Sabbath, and ſo the Sabbath is profaned, for ſince vve breake eueryevery one of the Commandements, it ſhold a beene likevviſe nedfull to hauehave had a Memorandum prefixt to eueryevery Comm: leſt through forgetfulnes, p. 77& vvant of forethinking vve breake them too; but ſince a Memorādum is put to this and not too others, a reaſon wold be ſought, ſuch a one as agrees to this Com. and not to others: now if I may take leaue to deliuer mine opinion, I cannot finde out a better reaſon than this, God foreſeeing that after a longe time, that is about 364. yeeres after Chriſt, this his Sabbath wold be not in part violated, but vtterly and altogether blotted out of remembrance in the Church for 1200 yeeres together, and ſo this 4^th. Comm: forgotten and not the other 9. or this 4^th. aboue, or rather then the other 9. therfore was a Memorandum ſet to this, and not to the other, or to this aboue the other, to bring men into the Remembrance and practiſe of it againe: I ſaid, this Sabbath was blotted out in the yeere of Chriſt 364. that is by the Laodicean Counſaile, as hereafter you ſhall heare &c. from thence vntill this preſent howre it is not Remembred, for we profane it, buy, ſell, market, fayer, and worke in it, I pray God bring this to our remembrances and cloſe home to our conſciences: I ſaid alſo, this Comm: is forgotten aboue the other 9. for thers no one thing in all the other 9. commanded that is wholly and altogether forgotten, as is this ſeauenth day; and though Papiſtes hauehave forgotten foulely, the ſecond Comm: yet bleſſed be God, the Reformed p. 78Church of Proteſtantes remember it well, but as for the ſeauenth day Sabbath, and the Command vponupon it, Remember the Sabbath day: this is forgotten at all hands vtterly by both Proteſtantes and Papiſtes: and ſo much of the word Remember.

4. The next pointe to be conſidered is the name of this ſacred Time and day, tis called Sabbath: Remember the Sabbath &c. In this name two thinges are conſiderable: 1. that it is vſed as a proper name for the ſeauenth and laſt day of the weeke with the Iewes; of this I ſay no more, referring you to what I hauehave elſe where afore, ſaid touching the Sabbath as a proper name &c. 2. That the word Sabbath ſignifieth Reſt.

The firſt vſe I will raiſe bence, ſhall be from the conſideration of both thoſe ioyned togeather, and may be for information, ſheweing that the Hebrew word Sabbath, may be tranſlated into Engliſhe wordes, if vve doe but ioyne theſe two together, that is, the proper name, and the ſignification of it: ſo for Sabbath, as tis a proper name of the laſt day of the weeke, put Saturday; and then hereto add that ſignification of the word Sabbath, Reſt: and then thus it may be rendred Saturday-Reſt: Remember Saturday-Reſte, p. 79to keepe it holy &c. the profit that wold come of this is, that there vvold be no ſcruple in mindes of the ignorant, which day of the weeke it is that God requireth in his 4^th. Comm: to be Sanctified. Further, it wold reforme the confuſion of ſuch as call our firſt day of the vveeke, or Lords day, The Sabbath day: thus doeing they woefully confound thinges, as times and dayes: iuſt as if vve novv a dayes ſhold begine to call our Sunday by the name Saturday, what a confuſion wold this breede of time? tranſplaceing the proper name of the ſeauenth day of the weeke vntounto the firſt day of the weeke: Hence in part is that deluſion of well minded ignorant people, that when they reade the 4^th. Comm: Remember the Sabbath day &c. and then bethink themſelues that vve call our Sunday, Sabbath day, ſurely then conclude they, our Sunday or Lords day is the day that God appointed by this his 4^th. Comm: which is a groſſe errour, ſince vve all ſay the Sabbath day is changed into that which we call the Lords day: and if the Sabbath day be changed (as is ſaid) into the Lords day why doe vve not put away the ould name, and take vp only the new name, like as the name of that Father of the faithfull, it was of ould Abram, but when God changed his name into Abraham; the Lord ſaid, neighther ſhall thy name be called any more Abram, but thy p. 80name ſhall be called Abraham Geneſi 17.5. and ſo let vsus no more calle it Sabbath day, but Lords day: But if you will retaine the proper name Sabb. ſtill, as is not vnmeete you ſhould, ſince it is a name that may perpetually be kept in the Church, it being a particle of the Morall Law, which is perpetuall, why then I beſeech you, let eueryevery day hauehave its owne proper name, doe not miſcall dayes by wronge names: Let our Satuday be called Sabbath day, for ſo it of all the dayes in the weeke anſweres to the Iewes Sabbath day; vvitneſſe the Iewes, when they liued in England, they kept Saturday for theire Sabbath day, and as they doe likewiſe in other partes of the World, where they live at this day: and witneſſe the Lattines, vvho to this day call Saturday, Sabbath day, Dies Sabbathi: I doubt not but this exhortation might preuaile, were it not for an inconuenience, which wold be this then, that if vve called Saturday, Sabbath day, then our people wold growe to thinke that Saturday ſhold be Sanctified by Gods will in his 4^th. Comm. for our Sabbath day: and if vve call the firſt day of the weeke Sunday, or Lords day only, then the people vvold not ſo eaſily be made beleeue, that the 4^th. Comm. bindes them to the Lords day, becauſe the Comm. binds only to the day, called Sabbath day, not ſpeaking one vvord of the day called Lords day: But if vve p. 81call the Lords day, Sabbath day once, then it goes downe the ſtomacke without any lett or ſcruple, that the 4^th. Comm: pointes directly to our firſt day of the weeke, or Lords day, and ſo a wrong day is kept, one day being taken for another, & ſo Superſtition is vſed for Religion, and one day God ſhall ſay, who required this at your handes? who may the people ſay? why our watch men, our miniſters taught vsus ſo, and called it ſo, and told vsus it ought to be ſo, as for vsus, we were not learned in the tounges and Artes, we muſt beleeue our Miniſters: The Prieſts lippes muſt preſerue knowledge, and we muſt aſke the Law at theire mouthes: but this plea cannot altogeather free the people ſee Ezek: 33.6. nor can the Miniſtrie be altogether free of a ſhrewde taxatiō, (were it not hitherto done of ignorance and of a good intente) in aſmuch as they are guilty of this tranſgreſſion, partly by miſenameing of dayes, which cauſeth an errour in the people.

But hereto it will be ſaid Sabbath, ſignifies a Reſt: now on our Lords day we Reſt; and therfore we may call it a Sabbath day: I anſwer, tis true Sabbath ſignifieth Reſt, & ſo the Lords day might be called Sabbath day, but yet in no other ſenſe then eueryevery common Holy day, wherein we worke not, may be called Sabbath day, that is, Reſteing day: now if the nameing p. 82of Holy dayes, Sabbath dayes, ſhold beget an inclination in the ignorant to ſanctifie them as Sabbaths? were it not time to forbeare ſuch names? Furthermore note, that we may call the Lords day, or firſt day of the weeke, and other common Holy dayes, Reſting dayes, but we muſt know with all that thus to call and to name them, is meerly humane, and of our owne deuiſe; for God neuer named or called the Lords day, nor common holy dayes, Reſteing dayes; if therfore we will call dayes, as God calleth them, then muſt vve call only the 7^th day, Sabbath day, or Reſting day, for ſaid God Exod. 20.10. The 7^th day, is the Sabbath, or Reſting day. I anſwere 2. Sabbath day may be vſed in reference to the 4^th Com: or not in any reference vntounto it: if it be vſed not in reference to the 4^th Comm: I am not againſt it, for ſo may we call Chriſtmas day when tis one a weeke day, Sabbath day, and ſo may we call dayes of publike thankſgiuing and reioycing Sabbath dayes, as coronation dayes, & Gunpowder Treaſon dayes &c. but if vve call any day Sabbath day, religiouſly, in relation to the 4^th Comm: as in that ſenſe we call our Lords day Sabbath day, then know, it cannot be called Sabbath day, for that this name Sabbath day in reference to 4^th Com: it muſt hauehave theſe properties, 1. it muſt be ſet vponupon its proper day, our Saturday, the which is p. 83named by God Sabbath day, or Reſting day: 2. it muſt be the 7^th day from the creation, or laſt day of the vveeke. 3. it muſt be the day which God bleſſed and ſanctified Geneſ. 2.3. Exod. 20.11. now none of theſe thinges agree to our Lords day.

5. The next point to be treated one is the vvord Day, Remember the Sabbath day: now as before vve hauehave heard of the Sabbath day, vvhichwhich it is for order and place, as vvhither the firſt, or 2d &c. or 7^th or 8^th day. ſo now vve are to heare of the duration and length of that Sabbath day. A day is commonly diuided into a day naturall of 24. howres, or artificiall of 12. howres; but I muſt craue leaue to departe from this diſtinction though a common receiued one, becauſe how euer it may hauehave its vſe in ciuill affaires, yet is it not Canonicall and Diuine, and therfore not to be a rule in expounding the word Day in Scripture: that I may not ſeeme ſleightily to deny a common diſtinction, note the reaſons moueing me here too are.

1. Becauſe it is no vvhere founde in Scripture that they had any day of 24. howres; a day of 12. howres I reade of I confeſſe, but I neuer reade of a day of 24. howres; it is not ſafe therfore by Day in 4^th Com: to interpret it of a day of 24. howres.

p. 842. By a day naturall of 24. howres vve vnderſtand both the light and the darkneſſe, the day and the night vvhichwhich fale within compaſſe of theſe 24. howres; novv I pray what a woefull confuſion and jumbling of things together is here? vvhat is this but to put light for darkeneſſe, vvhen ye call the night or darkneſſe, Day? & may you not as vvell put darkneſſe for light, and call the day or light, Nighte? may vve not as vvell comprize Hell, vnderunder the vvord Heauen; as darkenes vnderunder the vvord Day? vnles it be Ironically, I thinke this is matchleſſe.

But hereto it will be ſaid, doth not Scripture thus? Geneſ. 1.5. So the Euening and the morning vvere the firſt day? by Euening here is meante the night, and by morning the day or light, and both theſe made vp the firſt day. I anſwere, the Euening doth no vvhere in Scripture betoken the night or darkeneſſe, and that I am not ſingular in this, ſee Perkins caſes of conſcience at end of 2^d booke: but by Euening vve are to vnderſtand the afternoone, as vve in this land doe, ſaying, Good euene to you Sir, if once it be paſt noone: that euening is takē for the afternoone, and tyme of perfect light and before Sune ſet appeares by the phraſe of euening ſacrifice, which was celebrated about 3. or 4. a clocke in after noone, & ſee theſe textes Ex. 29.38.39. Deu. 23.11. loſh. 8.29. Ezra 9.4.5. Iere. 6.4. Deut. 16.6. p. 85ſo then according to Scriptures ſenſe, by Euening I vnderſtand the afternoone, and by morning the forenoone: and thus the Euening that is the afternoone: and the Morning that is the forenoone, made the firſt day Geneſ. 1.5.

Hauing thus giuen my reaſons why I reiect a day naturall, of 24. howres, conſiſting of day and night both; In next place I am to ſhewe vvhat I meane by Day in 4^th Com: By Day I vnderſtand the tyme of light only, namly all that ſpace of tyme and light from day peepe or day breake in the morning, vntill day be quite off the ſkye at night: that by Day is meante the light, ſee Gene. 1.5. God (vvhoe know beſt to name things) called the Light, Day, ſee 1. Theſ. 5.5.8. 1. Cor. 3.13. and that the day begines euen vvhilſt it is but a little light, and much darke, ſee Ioh. 20.1. and ſee Mark. 1.35. this laſt text is to be reade as Chemnitius vvell obſerues thus, In the morning, vvhilſt it vvas very much night &c. foreign: and ſo Beza reades it too: of dayes I may ſay, there are 2. kindes according to Scripture, 1. a naturall day, and this is from firſt aproche of light vponupon our horizon before Sune riſe vntounto the laſt departure of light, after Sune ſett, from off our horizon. 2. is an artificiall day, and this conſiſtes of 12. howres Joh. 11.9. are there not 12. howres in the day? the naturall day is variable now longer as in Sommer, novv p. 86ſhorter as in Winter. The artificiall day is conſtantly of the ſame lenght, 12. howres long: I conclude, by Day in 4^th Com: I rather thinke the the naturall day to be meante, then the artificiall day, for it is the ſafeſt to giuegive God the longer of the two, that is the day from day breake, to laſt ſhutting in of the day, ſo long as is any light in the ſkye.

Here a caſe of conſcience would be diſcuſſed, that is, if our Sabbath be but from day breake to ſhutting vp of day, hovv ſhall vve doe in depth of vvinter, at vvhat tyme vve hauehave not 12. howres of day light? novv your opinion vvas euen novv that it is the ſafeſt to giuegive God the longer of the two dayes, rather the naturall than the artificiall, but in depth of vvinter the artificiall day of 12. howres is the longer day: I anſvvere 1. though for that tyme the artificiall day be longer than the naturall day, yet it is ſo but for a little vvhile during the depth of the winter only, vvhichwhich tyme excepted, all the yeere after the naturall day is the longer, and ſo theſe 2. dayes compared together in all tymes, vve giuegive God the longer day vvhen vve giuegive him the naturall day. 2. For ſo much as it is not likely that God would hauehave vsus meaſure him his day by two diuers metevvands, that is by the day naturall at one tyme of the yeere, and by the day artificiall at an other tyme, therfore I thinke it the more p. 87likely that we are tyed only to the day naturall in Winter, though it be ſhorter then, then the other: Neuertheles, becauſe the ſafeſt vvay is beſt, and an errour on the right hand rather to be admitted then one the lefte, if any man judge it better, for the depth of vvinter, to keepe his Sabbath by the artificiall day, I ſay not to the contrary, yea, I ſay for myne owne particular, I purpoſe to accompany him whoeſouer he be, in performance of Sabbath dayes exerciſes, and refrayning all ſeruile laboures, not onelyonly for the artificiall day, but after it is ended, vntill it be tyme to goe to reſt & ſleepe.

Here an other queſtion ariſeth, if we be tyed but to the day tyme and light onelyonly for our Sabbath, vvhat then ſhall become of the tyme of night, before or after the Sabbath? I anſwere, nature teacheth that God hath made the night for man to reſt in and ſleepe, and ſo neceſſarily he that tyme reſteth from all labours, as in the Sabbath day tyme: but you may ſay againe what and if a man be not diſpoſed to ſleepe, as not to goe to bedd ſo ſoone as the artificiall day in depth of Winter be done, may he ſet vponupon the duties of his ordenary calling vntill he goe to reſt? heretoo I anſwere, where God hath left no order what to doe as in this caſe, here then it is left to Chriſtian diſcretion; In this caſe then I ſhould judge it very behoofefull that we deale vvith p. 88God in this night, as vve doe by our ſelues on other nightes of the 6. working dayes, in theſe, if we be not diſpoſed to goe to bedd, vve vvill ſpend that parte of the night vve pleaſe to ſett vp in, in the vvorkes of the day before, ſo let vsus be as mindfull of our ſoules as of our bodies, & on the Sabbath night if vve pleaſe to riſe before day, let that parte of the night be ſpent in a holy preparation to the duties of the day following, to ſet forwards them; if we pleaſe to ſett vp after the day light be ſpent, then againe let this parte of the night be ſpent ſutable to the day before, in reading, conference, meditation, ſinging of Pſalmes, and Prayer; To this may I fitly apply that of Holy Dauid who ſpent much of the night in prayer and praiſes, Pſ. 42.8. The Lord will graunte his louing kindnes in the day, and in the night ſhall I ſing of him &c.

The firſt vſe of this point may be for confutation of an errour of ſome diuines, houlding the Sabbath doth begine ouer night, on Saturday at night, or on Saturday Euening: If God enioyneth only the day; Remember the Sabbath day &c. by what authoritie can any ſay, we be bound to ſanctify more then a day, as namly to ſanctify the Sabbath day, and alſo a parte of the day, or night goeing before the Sabbath day?

I know well the end theſe diuines aime at is holy and good, and their argumentes carry a p. 89ſtrong ſhew of truth yet not ſtrong enough me thinketh, the beſt that I could ere meete withall are theſe 3. the formoſt Taken from Geneſ. 1.5. The euening & the morning were the firſt day: where by Euening, they vnderſtand the Night from about after Sune ſet forwards; by morning, all the day after; now hence they thus argue, That looke as God made the day at creation, ſo we muſt after keepe it: But God made the day to begine at Euening, Ergo &c. I anſwere, the grownd of this argument is from a common indeed, but miſe vnderſtanding of that text, Geneſ. 1.5. as I hauehave formerly ſhowne, ſo I deny that by Euening, in the Text is meant an Euening which begines the night and compriſes the night in it, as the argument vnderſtands it; for by Euening is meante only the afternoone till Sune ſett, as formerly I hauehave ſhowne: but againſt this it may be ſaid, this ſenſe is to make God to ſpeake of things miſe orderly, if by euening you vnderſtand the afternoone, and by morning the forenoone, then tis as if God had ſaid, So the afternoone and the forenoone vvere the firſt day, whereas it had beene more orderly to a ſaid, So the forenoone and the afternoone were the firſt day: ſince the forenoone is in order before the afternoone. I anſwere ſuch liberty though God doth take in ſpeeche, for inſtance, to goe no farther for an example, ſee Geneſ. 1.2.3.4.5. darkeneſſe p. 90was for order before light; and yet in v. 4.5. God mentiones the light before the darkeneſſe, and why not then, the after noone before the forenoone?

Their 2^d argument is taken from Levit. 23.32. from Euene to Euene ſhall ye celebrate your Sabbath. Hereto I anſwere this a peculiar law to the ceremoniall Sabbathes annually, not common to the morall Sabbath weekly, now we muſt not drawe the law of ceremoniall Sabbaths vponupon the morall Sabbath, for then muſt the morall Sabbath on 7^th day, be annualy onelyonly; and on the 10^th day of the month; as Leuit. 23.27. without regard to the day of the weeke: beſides many other differences twixt the morall and ceremoniall Sabbaths that might be ſhowne; but cheifly note in the 4^th Com: is but one day only mentioned, to wit the 7^th day but in Leui. 23. is two diſtinct dayes commanded to wit the 10^th day, v. 27. and the 9^th day apart of it, v. 32. now would any inferre hence, that we ſhould giuegive God the Sabbath day, and a parte alſo of the day, goeing next before it, eueryevery weeke? vvere not this to giuegive God more then one day, when in his 4^th Com: he required but one day?

A 3^d to enforce the begining of the Sabbath on the Euening, is taken from Mark. 15.42. It was the day of the preparation, that is before the Sabbath; whence it is gathered by many, that the p. 91Jewes vſed on the Euening before the Sabbath, to hauehave a preparation to the Sabbath, by ſetting a parte that euening for holy exerciſes, refraying ordenary workes, as they did on the Sabbath: where vntounto I anſwere, more is gathered out this text then it vvill afforde; and that preparation vvhichwhich was proper to a ceremoniall Sabbath, is applied to our Morall Sabbath: To this purpoſe it muſt be obſerued, that at this tyme of Chriſts paſſion, and on that day whereon he lay in the graue; our Saturday, there fell out two Sabbaths, a morall and a ceremoniall vponupon that day, as Beza, Piſcator, and others affirme, and as eueryevery diuine knowes; and as muſt needes be, for our Saturday wherein Chriſt lay in the graue vvas Jewes Sabbath day, of the 4th Comm: ſo there is one: now againe the day before this, namly good friday, was the day the Iewes kept for their paſſeouer day Ioh. 18.28. Ioh. 19.14. now the Law of the paſſeouer was, that the paſſeouer ſhould be killed and eaten on the 14^th day of the month Leuit. 23.5. and on the next day, the 15^th of the month they had an holy conuocation and aſſembly wherein they did no ſeruile labour v. 6.7. and this was a Sabbath day, to wit a ceremoniall Sabbath day: now the Iewes killing their paſſeouer on good friday, as the 14^th day, then Saturday, muſt be the 15^th day, and ſo an holy convocation and Sabbath by the Leuiticall Law: p. 92and ſo here is an other Sabbath fell on and with the weekly Sabbath: now to come to the point, the paraſcue or preparation ſpoken of Mark. 15.42. hath reſpect of theſe two Sabbathes, only to this latter, that is to the Ceremoniall Sabbath, which was on the firſt day of vnleauened bread, or on the 15^th day of the month, and it hath not reſpect vntounto the Morall Sabbath: now the reaſons mouing me to ſay ſo are, 1. becauſe this paraſcue or preparation is not any vvhere applied to the Morall Sabbath, but only it ſtands in reference to the ceremoniall, and therfore we reade the Euangeliſt Ioh. 19.14. calling it the preparation of the paſſeouer, not the preparation to the Sabbath, as they would. 2. we reade of a preparation euer on the day before the 15^th day of the month, the Sabbath on the firſt day of vnleauened bread, but of none before the vveekly Sabbath, ſee Luk. 22.8.9. and ye know there muſt be a preparation of the paſſeouer before it be eaten, for it muſt be killed, and roſted firſt, Exod. 12.6.8. and a place where it muſt be eaten in muſt be prepared too, Luk. 22.11. and to winde vp all in a word, the paraſcue or preparation whereof Scripture ſpeakes ſo oft; is nothing elſe but the preparation and making ready of the paſſeouer to be eaten, the which labour fell as now vponupon the day before the Sabbath, vnderſtand whither Sabbath you will Mark. 15.42. ſo then p. 93this preparation ouer night, being proper to the Ceremoniall Sabbath of the paſſeouer, it belonged not to the weekly Sabbath, & ſo the weekly Sabbath began not ouer night ere the more for this Text, Mark. 15.42.

Finally, the cleering of this text Mark. 15.42. by the way may be vſefull, to ſhew their opinion is growndleſſe, vvho vrge a preparation to the Sabbath on Saturday afternoone: or, on Saturday euen, preſſing vsus then to refraine our weekly labours, and to ſpend that portion of tyme in holy exerciſes: for my part I know no other preparation to the Sabbath to be performed more on Saturday after noone, than in the forenoone, or then on Friday or Thurſday before; that is, I know none but this, that we ſhould remember it afore hand, and ſo to be more and more mindfull of it, as it drawes nerer and nerer vntounto vsus, leſt vvhen tis come we profane it.

You hauehave heard the firſt vſe, ſhewing vvhen the Sabbath doth not begine, as namly, not ouer night &c. The 2^d vſe ſhall be to ſhew by vvay of inſtruction vvhen the Sabbath doth begine: The Sabbath is to begin in the morning, vvhen the day begines, as breake of day; this flowes naturally from the Comm: for if God commanded vsus to keepe holy the Day, then muſt we begine vvith the day, then vvhen the day begines: to begin it afore the day, as at midnight, or the p. 94like, is growndleſſe, and is more then God euer required: ſo, to delay the beginning an howre, 2. or 3. after day breake, is to robbe God of a part of his day, by ſanctifying to the Lord not a day, but a peece of a day.

6 The 6^th and laſt point in the Comm: as touching tyme and day, is to enquire 1. vvhat day God ſanctified, but this nedeth no labour, ſince tis apparant God ſanctified the 7^th day, and laſt day of the vveeke, that day vvhichwhich followed his 6. dayes vvorke. 2. vve are to enquire after the reaſon mouing God to ſanctify this day of the vveeke before any other; and this is plainly laid downe in the laſt clauſe of the 4^th Comm: and againe in Geneſ. 2.3. So God pleſſed the 7^th day and ſanctified it. Becauſe that in it he had reſted from all his vvork: vvhere you ſee God renders the ſpeciall reaſon mouing him to bleſſe and to ſanctify the Sabbath day; and it vvas, Becauſe that on that day himſelfe had reſted.

Uſe 1. may be to ſhew vsus that God in his 4^th Comm: enioyneth not a day at randome, but a particular day, ſuch a day as hath this reaſon, of Gods Reſt; belonging to it; now this belonged only to the 7^th day of the vveeke; not to the 8^th day, nor to the firſt day of the vveeke, our Lords day, for God the creatour reſted not vponupon our Lords day, vvhen he had finiſhed the vvorke of p. 95creatiō, but vponupon our Saturday the 7th day which goeth next before the Lords day.

Uſe 2. may be to ſhevv vsus, that the 4th Com: can not be vrged or applied to the firſt day of the vveeke, our Lords day; becauſe that reaſon of Gods Reſt, vponupon the 7^th day, vvhichwhich moued him to ſanctify, it neither doth nor can belong to the Lords day: now ſince that reaſon of Gods Reſt, vvhichwhich is a parte of the 4^th Com: can not belong to our Lords day, no more can the whole Com: belonge vntounto it.

Uſe 3. and me thinks the reaſon of Gods Inſtitution ſhould ſay ſome thing for the morality and perpetuity of the Sabbath, for as ſine moued God to bringe death into the vvorld at the firſt vponupon Adam Rom. 5.12. ſo the ſame continuing, moues God ſtill to continue death in the world vponupon Adams poſterity: So Gods Reſt vponupon the 7^th day mouing him at firſt to ſanctify it, the ſame reaſon remayning to vvorlds end, ſhould moue God to continue the ſanctification of the 7^th day for euer; the ground of which conſequence is taken from that axiome, That God is immutable and vnchangable & euer the ſame, ſo as if things be the ſame towards him, he againe is the ſame towards them: Hence it is vve thus argue, did God ſo to Abraham, to David, to Pharaoh &c. if thou be to God as they were, ſo God vvill be to thee, as he vvas to them: now as God p. 96is euer the ſame, ſo is Gods reſt on the 7^th day.

And ſo we hauehave ſpake of the duty of the day, and of the tyme; next we ſhould come to ſpeake of the duties in the day, and in the tyme: the duties in the day are 2. Holines, and Reſt: Remember to keepe the Sabbath day Holy: and in it thou ſhalt not doe any worke: but as touching expoſition of theſe two, Holines and Reſt, I purpoſe to deſiſte for aſmuch as vve differ not in theſe, ſauing about the latter, that it is houlden partly morall, partly ceremoniall, but of that by and by.

Hauing ſpoken of the duty of the day; and mentioned the duties in the day: here a queſtion would be ſcanned touching both theſe comparatiuly, to know whither is the more excellent & that which God did firſt and principally aime at, the duty of the day, or the duties in the day? a queſtion at firſt ſight I confeſſe it ſeemes friuolouſe; the rather I moue it, becauſe I heare the moſt ſo ſleighting this ſacred tyme, as but a circumſtance &c. and as a thing not required of it ſelfe, and by it ſelfe, as are the duties in this tyme Holineſſe and Reſt, but only for an other things ſake, as for the Holineſſe ſake, that is to be performed in this tyme, and ſo as if the Holineſſe be performed, it ſkilleth not ſo much for the tyme.

For my parte therfore I cannot ſee, but the p. 97tyme of the 7^th day is more excellent then be the duties of Holineſſe and Reſt, in the tyme; if theſe duties be not conſidered abſolutly and in relation to God, but reſpectiuly as ſubſeruient to the tyme. Holineſſe, conſider of it only as a dutie of firſt Table, in this branch of praiſing and lauding God, in an acknowledgment of his power, and wiſedome, and goodneſſe &c. ſo reflecting Gods holy workes and attributes vponupon himſelfe: now conſider, as the Heauens declare the glory of God Pſ. 19.1. So thinke on that 7^th day, as the Prophet Dauid ſpeakes of dayes in generall v. 2. Day vntounto day vttereth, the ſame too: or Day after Day, as Aynſworth obſerueth: ſo then if dayes doe vtter the glory of God, and ſhew forth his handy vvorkes, reflecting vntounto God, and declaring the ſame to men, then doubtleſſe the 7^th day Sabbath hath a kinde of ſecret ſpeech vntounto and praiſe of God, by reflection vntounto God, and declaration vntounto man, the whole worke of creation done vponupon the 6. dayes before, ſhewing forth theſe Attributes of Gods wiſedome, power, and goodneſſe, manifeſted in thoſe dayes: and ſurely this day doth more compleatly in its kinde, reflect and giuegive God the full glory of his worke of creation then can any man, vvho becauſe he knowes things by halues can ſpeake of them but by peeces: well, ther is ſome thing in this, though I vvill not be curious nor ſtand vponupon it.

p. 982. As for Holineſſe, as prayer, prayſes, and the like, I conſider of it abſolutly, or relatiuly: Abſolutly without reference to any ſpeciall tyme, as a parte of Gods worſhip and ſeruice, and ſo I graunt it may be greater then the 7^th day tyme: relatiuly, as tis employed to the 7^th day to honour it withall, and thus it is not ſo great nor excellent. I explaine my ſelfe by this ſimile, a ſonne hath a booke of his deceaſed father, for his fathers ſake he is ſo in louelove with the booke, as he will put vponupon it ſiluer ot goulden claſpes, ſilkin ſtrings, double gild it, & other coſt to the double or treble value of the book, if now you demaunde, whither the booke or the coſt, be the more excellent; why, ſure the coſt is the greater in it ſelfe conſidered, and not as made ſeruiceable to the booke, but the booke is the greater and more excellent in that for the bookes ſake, he begildeth it and puts on all that coſt: So, as this Sonne gildeth and bewtifieth the booke, becauſe it was his fathers; juſt ſo, the Lord God bleſſed and ſanctified the 7^th day, becauſe that in it he had reſted, Geneſ. 2.3. Exod. 20.11. The reaſon then mouing God to adorne and bewtify the 7^th day ſo with Holines and Reſt, was becauſe God had once reſted on that day; ſo as the 7^th day was not ſet apart for holineſſe ſake, but holineſſe at this tyme was appointed for the 7^th dayes ſake. Euen as Angles are miniſtering Spirites for our ſakes, p. 99and ſo are inferiour to men in ſome reſpects, that is, as they be attendants to vsus: yet further, to this end ſee the 4^th Comm: where in the firſt place the Sabbath is commanded, Remember the Sabbath day: and as the cheif thing aimed at, it is twice mentioned, vvhereas Holines is but once named: yea, doth not the very order of the words and manner of vttering them importe the ſame? like as if one ſhould ſay to his ſeruant, remember ſuch a booke, that you ſaue it, and lay it vp carefully; or, that you gilde it and bewtifye it with the fineſt gould &c. would not a man think by theſe words that all the ſeruants care and diligence and coſt about the booke, were for the booke, and leſſe than the booke in worth and excellency? why iuſt in ſuch frame of words the Lord deliured the 4^th Comm: Remember the Sabbath day, that you ſanctify it, the which ſanctifying the day, is the adorning and the bewtifying of it.

I conclude, if any man of better judgement think that ſo much is not to be attributed to the day and tyme as theſe my words importe, yet I thinke theſe things conſidered, he vvill judge there is much more in the tyme, & that by Gods ordinance, then is commonly thought on, and ſo as eueryevery ſleightie probable argument, and curiouſe diſtinction ſhould not force a man to aboliſh this ſacred Day, and prophane this tyme; p. 100me thinks we ſhould ſticke more cloſſe to Gods Commandements, than ſo; God hath left vsus but 10. Com: and they be the rule of our life, a light to our feet, and lanthorne to our paths, and that according whereto we ſhall be adiudged at that laſt day Mat. 25.34.35. Iam. 2.12. how ſhould we contend for the maintenance of this truth, which was once giuen vntounto vsus, not ſuffering any of theſe 10. lightes to be extinguiſht, no nor any one of thē to be eclipſed in leaſt degree, nor enduring that any one linke be broken from this chain, no nor ſo much as the leaſt peece or percell from any of the linkes, but that we mainteine them in the full weight and meaſure that euer they had: not ſo much as the day or tyme once altred or changed: remembring Deut. 12.32. vvhatſoeuer I command you &c. thou ſhalt put Nothing there to, nor take any thing there from: and Galat. 3.10. Curſed is eueryevery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law: And ſo I hauehave done with expoſition of this 4^th Comm.