A Declaration of the Christian Sabbath, Title page – Table of contents
A DECLARATION of the Chriſtian SABBATH. Wherein the ſanctifying of the LORDS-DAY, is proued to bee agreeable to the Commandement of GOD, and to the Goſpell of IESVS CHRIST. By ROBERT CLEAVER.
AT LONDON Printed by A. M. and I. N. for Robert Milbourne, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the great South Dore of Pauls. 1625.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr. IOHN CREVV, Mr. EDVVARD STEPHENS, and Mr. Iohn Curſon, Eſquires; together with their faithfull Yoke-fellowes, grace, mercy, and peace be multiplyed.
IT hath pleaſed the Almighty, by the goodnes of his providence to conioyne you together in one earthly family, that by relation, and bond of kindred, and affinity, you ſhould all cal the ſame man, your father: and according to the riches of his grace, to vnite you together in one heauenly family that by vertue of Adoption, and ſpirituall childhood, you ſhould all call the ſame God, your father, and ſo more truely become brethren or ſiſters, each one of you to others in the Lord. For this cauſe, & diuers other reaſons, I am incouraged to make choyſe of you for my ſpeciall, & ſelected Readers, (ſo farre I preſume of your favour, & kindnes) and ioyntly to ſalure you, in publike, as profeſſed friends to the cauſe wherein I deale, and Religious obſeruers of that ſacred Ordinance of God, for which I contend: for that, I confeſſe is a great part of my buſineſſe in this briefe diſcourſe enſuing, againſt the adverſaries of the Sabbath. And yet I humbly intreate both you, and all other good Readers, not to regard the Sabbath the leſſe, becauſe there is contention about it, nor ſuddenly to cenſure the act of contending, vntill you be acquainted with the cauſes, and circumſtances of it. There are divers Texts of Scripture, indeed, which in ſhew, & appearance do ſeeme to condemne it, as that to Timothy. The ſeavant of the Lord muſt not ſtriue, but muſt be gentle toward all men. 2. Tim. 2. 24. And that to the Corinthians, I beſeech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that ye al ſpeake one thing, & that there be no diſſenſions among you. 1 Cor. 1. 10 And that to the Romans If it be poſsible, as much as in you is, hauehave peace With all men, Rom. 12. 18. but none of theſe, nor any other that can be produced, do abſolutely prohibit al maner of ſtriving. To ſtriue for error, and ſinne is vnlawfull: to ſtriue about things that be doubtful, and vncerten, is vnlawfull: to striue about curious, and needles questions or matters tending to no edification, or profit, is vnlawfull. And ſo is ſtriuing vnlawfull when carnall corruptions, as make-bates be the mouers of it, or ſtirrers in it; as when through pride, we ſeeke our owne vaineglory; or through malice, and enuy we depraue our brethren. In theſe, and ſuch like caſes, is contending forbidden, but not ſimply: for then would not the Apoſtle Iude Iude 3.hauehave exhorted the godly with earneſtnes to contend for the faith: neitherIſa. 59. 4. would the Prophet Iſaiah ſo ſharply hauehave taxed the people of his time, for not contending for the truth. Paul was a peaceable man, and yet he ſtroue againſt the falſe Apoſtles and Seducers: and Christ is the perfect peace-maker, and author of peace, & yet he mightily oppoſed the rabble of Scribes, & Phariſees. And now to pleade for my ſelfe, and my brethren, which either by writinge, or preaching, hauehave trauelled in the ſame ſubiect, have as I done, we are not meere voluntaries in this controverſie, but neceſſarily vrged thereto, as preſted ſouldiers: we begin not the quarrell, as Aſſailants, but onelyonly iuſtifie the truth of our doctrine, and cauſe, as Defendants; our Bookes, and Sermons, being particularly oppugned, although (I truſt) more ſound, & Orthodoxe, then can be confuted. We are far from Innovations, & Novelties, in our poſitions, and tenents: we wiſh all good to our Oppoſites, with a deſire, rather to informe them, by arguments and reaſons, then to diſgrace, or provoke them, by taunts or invectives. The experience of your wiſdomes, loues, and generous diſpoſitions aſſure mee, that you will be eaſily perſwaded of the veritie of mine Appologie, and therefore I ſhall not neede with multiplicity of words, to enlarge it, neither doe I thinke it decent to taske you with reading of other impertinent matters, which neither neceſsitie requireth, nor conveniencie approoueth of; eſpecially, ſeeing there is as little Decorum kept in prefixinge a long Preface before a ſhort Treatiſe, as in making a wide dore for a narrow building. And therefore to ſpare both you, and my ſelfe from further labour, I briefly conclude, and with due reſpect, recommend you to the protection, grace, guidance, and bleſsing of the moſt High, and remaine
Your worſhips for all Chriſtian ſervices. Robert Cleaver.
A Table of moſt of the principall matters contained in this inſuing Treatiſe
A
IT is dangerous to queſtion the Authoritie of Gods lawes. pag. 1. 2. How the Law retaineth it's authority and yet Gods people freede from it. 24.
C
The Ceremoniall Law, not ſo much dignified as the Morall. 32.
The Ceremoniall Law, by relation, and in ſome reſpects was contained vnderunder the Morall. 35. 36.
Significant Ceremonies alter not the nature of vnchangeable precepts. 44.
The moral Law not made Ceremoniall by ſignifications. 33.
We are not tied to the Jewes ſeuenth day by the fourth Commandement. 99.
Moral Commandements perpetuall. 4. 5.
The fourth Commandement is Moral. 50.
The Moral Law not made Ceremoniall by ſignifications. 33.
Nothing is aſcribed to Chriſt in the word but that which is in a ſpeciall maner to be ſacred and holy 103. 104
D
THe Dignity of the Law in regard of Continuance. 30.
In what ſence a day is ſaid to be the Lords-day. 104.
F
AL Solemne Feaſtes in the law, did by relation, and in ſome reſpects, iſſue from the ſame fountaine that the ſeuenth-day did 93
Whether faith be commanded in the Law? and how. 42
G
THe Law aboliſhed to the Godly, onelyonly in reſpect of the rigorous ſeverity thereof 22.
K
Men are made able by grace to do that which is termed Keeping the law. 40
L
THe Law hath a place in mans heart by nature. 11
The writing of the law in mans heart by nature, being blotted and defaced by his fall; is renewed in the regenerat. 12 13.
By Law is ſometimes, ment the irritation and provocation to ſinne which it accidentally occaſioneth (but cauſeth not) in the vnregenerate. 18. 19.
The Law belongeth to the regenerate. 27.
There is no alteration or change of nature in the duties of the Law. 29
Five Arguments proouing the Morality of the Lords day. 52 to 65
Five Obiections againſt the Morality of the Lords-day anſwered 66 to 89.
The Lords-day proved to be of divine inſtitution. 103 & ſeq.
The Lords-day is immutable. 111.
The firſt day of the weeke, proued to be the Lords-day that is to be obſerved. 114
Becauſe a Chriſtian ſhould be every Day holy; it will not follow, that the Lords-day is not to be obſerved. 119 & ſeqq
Chriſtians in the Primitiue Church chooſing the firſt day of the weeke, for the Lords-day; doth not proue that it is not of diuine Inſtitution. 137. 138. & ſeqq.
M
THe Morality of the Lords-day, proved by Teſtimonies of the ancient fathers. 131. & ſeqq.
The Morality of the Lords-day, proued by Teſtimonies of the worthy Moderne writers. 106. & ſeqq
The Morality of the Lords-day proved by the doctrine of the Church of England. 140. 141. & ſcqq.
O
OBiections pretended out of the Fathers againſt the morality of the Lords-day anſwered. 129 & ſcqq.
S
SCriptures anſwered and cleared which the Adverſares produce to proue that the Law is aboliſhed. 15. 16. & ſeqq.
Mutation of ſervices alter not the nature of the law. 47.
There greeuous ſinne that ſhal enterprize to alter the Lords-day. 112.
The Contents of this Treatiſe.
ALl the Morall Commandements are perpetuall. Cap. 1. Pag. 1.
No ſignifications, expirations, or change of duties and ſeruices, hauehave made any of the Morall Commandements, Ceremoniall. Cap. 2. Pag. 29.
The Fourth Commandement is a Morall Precept. Cap. 3. pag. 50.
All conſecrated time, is the obſeruation of the Fourth. Commandement. Cap. 4. Pag. 90.
The LORDS-Day is a conſecrated time, and of diuine Inſtitution, and immutable. Cap. 5. Pag. 102.