The Doctrine of the Sabbath Vindicated, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Breerwood. Pag. 39, 40, 41.
BVt what of that? What if the conſecration of the Sabaoth was by the Church tranſlated to the firſt day of the weeke? Was therefore the commandement of God tranſlated alſo? That that day ought to be obſerved under the ſame obligation with the Sabaoth? For if the commandement of God were not tranſlated by the Church, together with the celebration from the ſeventh day to the firſt day, then is working on the firſt no violation of Gods commandement. Was the commandement of God then tranſlated from the Sabaoth to the Lords day by the decree of the Church? No: the Church did it not, let mee ſee the act. The Church could not doe it, let me ſee the authority: the Church could not tranſlate the commandement to the firſt day, which God himſelfe had namely limited to the ſeventh. For could the Church make that Gods commandement which was not his commandement? Gods commandment, was to reſt on the ſeventh day, and worke on the firſt; therefore to reſt on the firſt, and worke on the ſeventh, was not his commandement: For doth the ſame commandement of God enioyne both labour and reſt on the ſame day? is there faſt and loſe in the ſame commandement …th God? Thou ſhalt work on the firſt day ſaith that, and worke … the ſeventh ſaith this. Can the Church make theſe the ſame commandement? But ſay the Church hath this incredible and unco…ceivable power: Say it may forbid to worke on the firſt day, by the vertue of the very ſame precept. That doth neither expreſly command or licenſe to worke on that day. Say that the Church of God may tranſlate the commandement of God from one day to another at their pleaſure, did they it therefore? I ſpake before of their authority whether they might doe it. I enquire now of the act, whether they did it; did the Church (I ſay) ever conſtitute, that the ſame obligation of Gods commandement which lay on the Iewes, for keeping of the Sabaoth day ſhould be tranſlated and laid upon the Chriſtians for keeping of the Lords day? Did the Church this, no, no, they did it not; all the wit and learning in the World will not prove it.
Anſwer.
Firſt, this reaſoning is on falſe grounds ſuppoſed (as hath beene proved) and therefore fals to the ground.
Secondly, yet take their owne grounds.
If the Church have powre to tranſlate the day and conſecrate it a Sabbath, they may have power, and had ſo, to tranſlate the Commandement: for the Commandement is but the conſecration of the Sabbath, and determination thereof to a certaine day.
And if they doe not tranſlate the Commandement, yet the Commandement ſtands in force for that day to which by juſt power they have tranſlated the Sabbath. For the Commandement is in force as a law of nature; you confeſſe, for the celebration of a Sabbath, or elſe you deny a moralitie in any part of that Commandement, but if that your moralitie ſtand, (as without doubt it doth) then is working on that day equally a violation of the Commandement of God; as working on the ſeventh, from the creation, for then it was ſinfull, becauſe that day was then Sabbath: and now it is ſo becauſe this is now Sabbath.
Thirdly, and for thoſe quaeres, let me ſee the Act? Let me ſee the Authoritie, as they may bee retorted to your conceite of their tranſlating the ſeventh day, and conſecrating it a Sabbath, ſo in the true ſenſe of conſecrating that day, you have ſeen before the Act and Authority, and may now ſee (if you winke not) that the Commandement is not tranſlated but remaines the ſame it was, namely, to keepe holy the Sabbath day. Neither is there a making of that Gods Commandement which was not his, nor yet doth the commandment containe any impoſſibilities and contradictions. Distingue tempora, & tolle dubia, Distinguiſh the times, and the doubts vaniſh, the Commandement enjoyneth reſt and holineſſe Sabbath-like on the Lords Sabbath, then that ſeventh day, now this ſeventh day: and of both is it true, the ſeventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. Then the ſeventh day was it, and ſo enjoyned thereon; Now the firſt day of the weeke, and ſo enjoyned thereon. Hence this reaſoning is eaſily anſwered. Firſt, God commanded to worke on the firſt and reſt on the ſeventh, therefore to reſt on the firſt, and work on the ſeventh was not his Commandement, it was not then, it is now, moreover, ſixe dayes thou ſhalt worke, doth not point out, which ſixe daies, and the ſeventh day will containe both ours and theirs: and their ſeventh they knew then by the worke of Creation as our ſeventh we know by the worke of Redemption.
For the authoritie and Act of the Church we need it not, the Scripture as before, hath ſaved the labour. But that the act of this power was put forth, the Church hath acknowledged and your ſelfe doe while you yeeld, the firſt day conſecrated Sabbath.