A Bright Star which Leadeth Wise Men to our Lord Jesus Christ, Commandment 4
Remember that thou keepe holy the ſabboth day, ſixe daies ſhalt thou labour & do all that thou haſt to doe, but the ſeauenth day is the ſabboth of the Lord thy God, in it; thou ſhalt doe no manner of worke, thou and thy ſonne, and thy daughter, thy man ſeruant, thy maide ſeruant, thy cattell and the ſtranger that is within thy gates, &c.
THe ſumme of this fourth commandement is, to command the ſetting a part of the ſeauenth day, from all worldlie buſines, and affaires, to the exerciſes of religion and merciemercy, and in the night that our ſleepe alſo be ſeaſoned with the word, and the exerciſe of which we hauehave bene pertakers. The parts are two. The one ſets downe the duties to be performed, the other the reaſons to moue vsus to performe them. The duties two fold, ſhewing what we ſhould doe, and from what we ſhould decline. The things to be done, is keeping it holie, celebrating an holie reſt vntounto God. The things to be forborne, are all body lie works, and to ſee that thoſe which be vnderunder our gouernment, as children, ſeruants, and all inferiours doe the like, and that our beaſts be not put to any ciuill labour, yea that the ſtranger, when hee comes amongſt vsus, doe not openly prophane the ſame, though wee cannot inforce him to come to the publik exerciſes, yet thoſe that are in ſuperioritie, muſt reſtraine him from publik violating of it, by open working, and muſt lay the authoritie ſo farre vponupon him, as that they ſuffer him not among their people, and in their juriſdiction, in the face of the congregation, openlie to breake the commandement of God. The reaſons are diuerſe, firſt drawne from the equitie and righteouſneſſe of it in theſe words, ſixe daies ſhalt thou labour q. d. I hauehave giuen thee ſix daies for thy buſineſſe, and hauehave taken but one for my ſelfe, therfore thou muſt be verie well contented, to yeeld to me in this ſo reaſonable and equall a commandement. If I had taken ſixe to my ſeruice & giuen thee but one for the works of thy caling, yet thou ſhouldeſt in dutie hauehave obeyed me, but now that I am ſo liberall to thee, and ſcant to my ſelfe, hauing ſo large allowance, there is no reaſon why thou ſhouldeſt refuſe. The ſecond reaſon, is taken from the authoritie and right of God, in theſe words, The ſeauenth day is the ſabboth of the Lord thy God, q. d. I hauehave taken it to my ſelfe, I hauehave challenged it to my ſelfe, to bee imployed in my ſeruice, it is my day not thine, therfore, vnleſſe thou will bee accounted a ſacrilegious theefe, to take holie things for vnholie vſes, vnleſſe thou wilt deuoue things that bee ſanctified to thine owne deſtruction, ſee that thou meddle not with it, it is a part of the church treaſurie, & thou ſhalt be no better then a church robber, if thou conuert it to thine owne vſes. The third reaſon is taken from Gods example, in theſe words. For in ſixe daies the Lord made heauen & earth the ſea and all that in them is, and reſted the ſeauenth daie, q. d. if thou wilt follow example and bee led by others, then follow the example of the beſt; now what better example can there be, then the example of God himſelfe; now God himſelfe when he went to make the world, and all the things in the world, contriued all his works ſo, as that he finiſhed them within the compaſſe of ſixe dayes, and on the ſeuenth day did reſt from all his works of creation, onelyonly preſeruing thoſe things which before he had made, therefore from his example learne thou ſo to diſpatch all thy buſineſſe on the ſixe daies, as that on the ſeauenth day ceaſing from labour in thy calling, thou maiſt wholy giuegive thy ſelfe to the duties of ſanctification, and to meditate on Gods power and greatneſſe, in his ſixe dayes work, for which end, as one ſpeciall thing to bee done in it, he hath appointed this reſting of the ſeuenth day. The laſt reaſon is taken from the end of the ſabboth, in theſe words, Wherfore the Lord bleſſed the ſabboth day and hallowed it. q. d. If neither the equitie of the commandement, nor the authoritie and right of God, nor yet his example will preuaile with thee to perſwade thine hart to keepe this commandement, yet in regard of thine owne profit, and the benefit thou ſhalt reape to thy ſelfe, yeld to keepe it holy, for God hath not taken this to himſelfe for any commoditie that he ſhall hauehave by it, but euen for thy good, for he hath appointed it for holy vſes, that it might be a meanes of bleſsing not vponupon the ſoule onelyonly, but euen vppon the body and eſtate of thoſe that obſerue it; there is no readier way to bring Gods bleſsing vponupon any man then the ſanctifying of it, nor no more preſent meanes to pull downe a curſe, then the neglecting and breaking of it. Therefore if thou louelove thy ſelfe and wouldeſt hauehave proſperitie on thy ſoule and bodie, yeld ſo much obedience to God, as to ſanctifie his ſabboth. Thus much concerning the ſumme and expoſition of this commandement. Now becauſe there be many that doe diſagree in this doctrine of the ſabboth, and account the keeping holy of the ſeuenth day in the number of thoſe ceremonies which be abrogated by Chriſt, and reached onelyonly to the Iewes, therefore it is requiſite that we approue and confirme by ſome ſound reaſons out of Gods word, that this commandement is morall and perpetuall, and as carefully to be kept vnderunder the goſple, as vnderunder the law, and to continue in force, ſo long as any of the commandements, euen ſo long as there is this world, and a Church militant vponupon earth. The firſt reaſon to confirme this, may be drawne from thoſe reaſons which God vſeth for the confirmation of it, in the text; the reaſons are all of them perpetuall, and none of them ceremoniall, and eueryevery one as much belongs vntounto vsus, as vntounto them, and therefore it is without reaſon, to make the commandement it ſelfe of leſſe ſcope, and binding fewer to keepe it, then thoſe reaſons which are brought to confirme it. For goe through the whole commandement, what one word in all of it, hath any note of ceremony, what reaſō ſauours of any ſpecial thing to the Iewes, that the commandement ſhould be tyed onelyonly to them; for god commands them to keep the ſeuenth, becauſe it is moſt equal, being that he hath permitted ſixe dayes for their buſineſſe. Why, and hath he not giuen vsus libertie to labour ſixe dayes in our calling, and is not the equitie altogether as forceable to vsus in eueryevery age, as it was to them, in their ages. If God hauehave taken from vsus none of the ſixe daies which he gaue to them, what reaſon hauehave we to take away more of the ſeuenth, or any of the ſeuenth more, then they. Then ſecondly, it is the Lords, therefore the Iewes may not dare to imploy it, any other wayes then according to his will, and doth not this reaſon hold as ſtrongly now, hauehave we any priuiledge graunted, to lay theeuiſh hands, vponupon thoſe holy things which are Gods, more then in old time the Iewes had; & for the example of God, that he ceaſed from creating, doth it not reach to all ages a like; are not we as much bound to follow Gods example as euer any. Laſtly it is a day bleſſed to them that keepe it, and to this ende conſecrated, that it may bring a bleſsing; hath time worne out the force of this argument, is God leſſe able to bleſſe vsus, or ſhould we leſſe deſire, or doe we leſſe ſtand in need of his bleſsing, then they? We ſee then that all the reaſons are firme and ſtrong, the length of time cannot abrogate the truth and ſtrength of the reaſons; therefore neither can it diſanul the commandement. For where God giues a ceremoniall cōmandement, which he would hauehave the Iewes onelyonly to obſerue, there he frames his reaſon thereafter, from ſome thing that ſpecially toucheth the Iewes, & hath no ſuch affinitie and agreement to other nations, as for the paſſeouer, he commands the Iewes to keepe that, why, becauſe the Angell paſſed ouer their houſes, when he deſtroyed the Egiptians, and they muſt giuegive the firſt borne to God; why? becauſe God did not ſmite their firſt borne, in the ſlaughter of the Egiptians, and ſo many other ceremonies, hauehave reaſons annexed vntounto them, which being peculiar to the Iewes, ſhewed that they did onelyonly binde the Iewes vnderunder the law; but of all the reaſons heere alleadged, we ſee that none is ceremoniall, peculiar or proper to the Iewes, but eueryevery one common to all, and as large as all the world; therefore thoſe that cannot exempt themſelues from the arguments confirming the commandement, may not pull their necks out of the commandement. Secondly, from the time when this commandement was firſt giuen, and the keeping holy of a ſabboth day inſtituted, we may eaſily perceiue, that the cōmandement is no more ceremoniall then all the reſt. For it was giuen in mans innocencie, when Adam was perfect and needed no ceremonie to leade him to Chriſt, becauſe he did not neede to beleeue in Chriſt, being himſelfe perfect, and holding his happie eſtate, not by faith in Chriſt, but by faith in Gods word, and his owne obedience vntounto Gods word. For this commandement was not firſt made at Mount Sinah, no more then any of the other 10. but equally with them bound the conſcience of Adam, the firſt man, and is of like antiquitie. The firſt ſeuenth day that euer was, was as much to be ſanctified as any that followed, as may appeare in the ſecond of Gen. laſt verſe, where it is ſaid, that God after the creation in the ſixe dayes, reſted from creating the ſeuenth, and therefore he hallowed the ſeuenth day, and bleſſed it. Now then, ſith it was firſt inſtituted in Paradice, afore there either was a ceremonie, or neede of a ceremonie; it may not be reputed among the Iewiſh ceremonies. And this reaſon is to be noted, becauſe it ſhewes the fooliſhneſſe of that friuolous reaſon, which ſome men bring againſt the ſabboth day. Oh ſay the Iewes they were children in Chriſt, and weaklings, and therefore they had neede of a ſabboth; But we are paſt babes, we are men growne & hauehave more knowledge, we are ſtronger then they; Are you ſtronger then the Iewes? be it. Though if it were tryed, many of theſe that brag of their ſtrength aboue the Iewes, would be found inferiour to many of the Iewes. But be it for the time, graunt them this, yet are they ſtrōger then Adam in his innocencie; hauehave they greater knowledge, and more grace then he had beefore his fall? Why, but God ſaw it needfull for Adam to hauehave a ſabboth, and if it were needfull that was without ſinne himſelfe, had no clog of corruption to hinder him, no ſinner to infect, no ill example to ſeduce, yet I ſay, if he had neede of this as God in his wiſdom judgeth, becauſe his calling, though followed without tediouſneſſe, would yet partly, hauehave withdrawne his hart, that he could not ſo freely & wholy hauehave giuen himſelfe to praiſing of God, and conſidering of his power & wiſdome, and merciemercy, & therfore was to ſet one day apart from all works of his calling, to imploy it wholy in prayſing and magnifying God, and ſuch like duties, that he might with greater libertie & comfort, doe them; then what neede hauehave we, and how far is our neceſsitie greater, which are burdened with many corruptions of our owne, and hauehave much temptation from many ill preſidents, & many allurements of the world, to pull our harts from the worſhip of God, which are men of polluted lips, our ſelues, and diuells amongſt people of polluted lips, & which cannot without far greater diſtructiō & wearineſſe alſo, follow our callings.
If Adam had neede of a ſabboth, when hee had no let within nor without, how much hauehave we, that both within and without are beſet, and one eueryevery ſide compaſſed with ſuch ſtrong impediments, from our ſelues and from others, that when wee hauehave a ſabboth to beſtow wholy and onelyonly on Godlineſſe and religion, can yet hardly, and with much adoe keepe our harts from wandring after the world and earthly things. Therfore moſt fond is this objection, if Adams ſtrength muſt bee helped by a ſabboth, then no man in this world hath ſo much ſtrength, as that hee for that cauſe may exempt himſelfe from keeping a ſabboth: it was giuen to ſtrengthen and help the Iewes, and they needed it, and it is giuen to vsus to make vsus ſtronger, yea it was giuen to Adam, and hee needed it, that hee might more freely ſerue God, and more comfortablie rejoyce in him; and for this reaſon alſo is perpetuall and no ceremonie.
Thirdly the manner of deliuerie confirmes the perpetuitie of it, & ſhewes that it is ſtill of as great force as any of the reſt; for this was written by the finger of God in the table of ſtone, with the other to ſhew the durable continuance of the ſame, and therefore this is not exempted, Deut. 40. 4. That reaſon which Moyſes brings to confirme the authoritie of all, is not taken from this, that God firſt ſpake it with the reſt, & after wrote it alſo in tables of ſtone. God did giuegive the ceremoniall law by Moyſes hand, and vſed him as an inſtrument to write them, but for the greater reuerence of theſe ten, hee would not vſe the help of Moyſes hand and pen, but with his owne finger wrote them, not in paper with inke, but in ſtone to ſhevv the ſtrength and continuance of them, and commanded Moyſes to put them in the arke to ſhew that no man could fulfill & perfectly obey them but onelyonly Chriſt: If theſe ten were all written by God, and no exception made, whereby the ſabboth ſhould bee inferiour to the reſt, but altogether put into the Arke, then a man may euen as well rend any of the other ten away as this, yea and with more warrant to, for none of them all is more fenced with reaſons, and mounded about with more ſtrong arguments to keepe out the cauils and objections of men then this, ſo that where God hath as it were of ſet purpoſe, giuen more ſtrength, for a man to impute more weakeneſſe to this thing, is a note either of great folly, or elſe of ſingular impudencie and impietie.
The fourth reaſon is drawen from the perſons vponupon whom it lieth, and vntounto whom it is giuen: for wee know that the ceremonies did lie onelyonly vponupon the Iewes, the Gentiles were not bound to obſerue them: but now this commandement ſayth not onelyonly thou, thy ſonne, thy daughter, thy man, thy maide, which containes all the whole commonwealth, but it goes further & ſaith, thy ſtranger which is within thy gates: ſo that if an heathen man of another countrie and religion, had come amongſt them, the magiſtrate was bound to looke to it, that he doe not openly and publikely violate the ſabboth, but of force ſhould celebrate an outward, though to perform duties of religion, that lay not in mans hand to conſtraine them. Now the ceremonies were as a partition wall betwixt the Iewes & Gentiles, to ſeperate the church of the Iewes, and the ſeede of Abraham, from all other congregations, vntill after this partition was broken downe by Chriſt, and both brought into one fold, for when Chriſts death did teare aſunder the vale of the temple, then hee tare all ceremonies in twaine, that they could no longer binde the conſcience either of Iew or Gentill: but for the ſabboth euen the Gentils muſt keepe it, and becauſe they would not themſelues, when they came among the ſeruants of God, they were to be conſtrayned; as in Nehemias time, when the men of Tyrus came to ſell wares on the ſabboth day, in Ieruſalem, hee would not ſuffer them, but threatens to lay hands vponupon them, if they did any more come after that manner. If God had heere commanded onelyonly to looke to the Iewes, and not to ſtrangers, it had beene ſome appearance, but ſith God will hauehave ſtrangers of the Gentils bound to the keeping of it, ſo farre as men can, if they come within the walke and reach of Chriſtians, now the matter is put quite out of doubt that this is no ceremonie.
Laſtly, Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe the Lord of the Sabboth, confirmes the ſabboth moſt ſtrongly. Mat. 24. 20. Where ſpeaking of the deſtruction of Ieruſalem by Ʋeſpaſian, and ſpeaking to the faithfull of the church and true Chriſtians, whoſe prayers ſhall ſurely preuaile, he bids them pray that their flight bee not vponupon the ſabboth day, or in the winter. Fortie yeeres after a fearefull deſtruction was to come vponupon Ieruſalem, and this was decreed ſo that it might not bee altered, yet Chriſt bids his ſeruants pray, that it might bee mittigated to them in ſome meaſure, and therefore that they might not bee enforced to flie for their liues in the winter, for that would bee grieuous to the bodie, becauſe of the ſhortneſſe of the daies, and the durtineſſe of the waies would bee very tedious to them, nor vponupon the ſabboth, becauſe this would bee as grieuous to their ſoules, if they muſt bee conſtrained to ſpend that day in taking paines to preſerue their bodies, which God had appointed to be ſpent in thoſe things that ſhould help forward the ſaluation of their ſoules. What, will ſome ſay, is it not lawfull to flye for ones lyfe on the ſabboth? yes: and Chriſt allowes it. But he knew full well what griefe it would bring to a chriſtian ſoule, to think, Alaſſe I was wont as this day to ſit quietly in the church and among Gods Saints to heare the ſweet comforts of his word deliuered vntounto my ſoule, and with praiſe to ſing Pſalmes of thanks vntounto God, and to aske thoſe things with the reſt of Gods people which we ſtoode in neede of, where I receaued ſuch ſtrength & comfort, that I walked in the ſtrength of theſe exerciſes the whole weeke after, but now the paine of my bodie and the feare of my ſoule ſo diſtract me, & take me vp that hauehave neither leaſure nor abilitie to doe ſo, but I muſt want all theſe comforts. Chriſt knew that this would be as bitter as death to a Chriſtian ſoule, and therefore he wils them to pray to God to preuent it, that no ſuch neceſsitie be layd vponupon them. Now if this commandement and this day had bene ceremoniall, they might hauehave fled with as little care as any other, for it had bene aboliſhed long afore by Chriſts death, and no ſuch regard had bene to be made of it. In that Chriſt doth allow this conſcience and regard of flying on the ſabboth day, more then any other of the weeke, he ſhewes planly, that the force of the ſabboth was to abide after him for fortie yeres, and therfore no ceremony, for then Chriſt had not done well to put a needleſſe feare into their harts of flying on the ſabboth, if God required no keeping of the ſabboth, and then he ſhould rather hauehave bid them pray to God that they might hauehave had all reſpect of it, being a ceremonie taken from them, and told them that they neede not to regard it, for it had bene a great ſinne to hauehave made ſuch conſcience of keeping a ceremonie ſo long after the aboliſhing of them, then if one ſhould not willingly and not without griefe fly to ſaue his naturall lyfe, when he ſhould be ſeeking to ſtrengthen his ſpirituall life, (as Chriſt words doe plainly proue) then how much leſſe ſhould he doe any other outward buſineſſe of far leſſe neceſsitie. So that theſe reaſons doe moſt effectually confirme to the harts of Gods children, that the keeping of the ſabboth day holy, is a moral law, and bindeth vsus, and ſhall all to the ende of the world, as much as the Iewes, at any time before Chriſt. But for thoſe wicked perſons that will cauill againſt eueryevery thing that croſſeth their corrupt luſt, as the keeping of a ſabboth doth exceedingly, we muſt not greatly be moued what they object, for of them tis moſt true that Solomon ſaith, Bray a foole in a morter as wheat is brayed with a peſtell, and hee will not forſake his folly. But this may ſuffice to confirme and eſtabliſh and inſtruct a chriſtian, that with a true hart is willing to be taught, and to confound alſo, and condemne, and leaue without excuſe before Gods judgement ſeat, ſuch as will not yeeld to playne and ſtrong reaſons drawne out of the word of God, but continue obſtinate in their falſe conceits. But becauſe the point may be more plaine and manifeſt; it is good to anſwere ſome of their objections, whereby they would ouerturne this plaine truth. Now the grand obiection is, becauſe we keep not the ſame ſabboth that the Iewes did, but the day is altered, therefore they ſay, we muſt keepe none. This is their argument of ſo great waight, but how fooliſh it ſhall appeare eaſily, if we examine it a little more narrowly. For though we keepe not the ſelfe ſame day that they did, yet we hauehave the ſame commandement & authoritie for our day that that they had for theirs. Therfore this day that we keepe is called the Lords day, in Reuel. 1. Where Iohn ſaith, He was in the ſpirit vponupon the Lords day. Afore it was called the day of reſt, becauſe God reſted on it, from the work of creation; but now it is called the Lords day, becauſe Chriſt Jeſus inſtituted it as a ſpeciall memoriall of his reſurrection & perfecting of the work of our redemption. For the Apoſtles by the authoritie of that ſpirit which alwaies aſsiſted them in their miniſteriall office, did alter the day, & themſelues kept & ordained it to be kept in all the churches. As may appeare 1. Cor. 16. 1. Where he ſaith, The firſt day of the weeke when yee meet together, &c. Where the Apoſtle ſhewes that the congregations of Chriſt were wont on the firſt day of the weeke to meet together, for the performance of all holy duties, of the number whereof collection for the poore was one, becauſe of the manifold perſecutions, wherwith in the primatiue church they were more afflicted and had neede of continuall reliefe. This was the firſt day of the Iewiſh weeke, & our Lords day. So alſo in the Acts. Paul himſelf kept this day, which he ſpent in preaching till midnight, and after adminiſtred the ſacramēt, in which two exerciſes, he cōtinued till the dawning of the day. So that the keeping of this day was inſtituted by God in the miniſtrie of the Apoſtles, and kept by them and the churches in their time, & therfore as ſtrongly commands vsus as the Iewes, and is of no leſſe force now then before. Then ſecondly, the reaſon of the chaunge, and of our keeping this day, is no leſſe then of their keeping that day: For when the creation of the world was, the greateſt work that euer was done, then the memoriall of that was chiefely to be regarded. But now that a greater & more excellent work was done, namely, the redemption of the world, it was reaſon that the greateſt work ſhould carry the credit of the day. They reſted the ſeauenth day becauſe on that, God reſted from the work of creation; wee this eight day, becauſe in it Chriſt riſe againe from the work of our redemption; which being a greater work, cauſed a chaunge of the day. Sith then the day was not chaūged without good warrant and ſtrong reaſon, that alteration and varying of the day detracts nothing from the truth and force of the commandement. And wheras they ſay, that the church may at their pleaſure alter it, that is not ſo, for ther can neuer be an authority greter then the authority of the Apoſtles, nor a cauſe, greater then the reſurrection of Chriſt, and the redemption of the church; and therefore neither can the day be chaunged, for to make a new day, where no ſuch warrant did allow, nor no cauſe occaſion it, were to take more vponupon them then is fit.
For if the Iewes in former times were bound to keepe it holy, hauing onelyonly the creation of the world to think vponupon, and to remēber, by the celebrating of their ſeauenth day, then how much more are we bound to this reuerence and a greater, ſith beſids this benefit of our making, we hauehave a greater of our redeeming by the bloud and death of Chriſt added vntounto it, ſo that any one of the two ought to ſanctifie it more, rather then to caſt it of all together, and to be ſo much the more carefull to giuegive this day wholy to God, by how much he hath ſhewed a greate merciemercy to vsus, ſo that we ſhould neuer ſpeake or think of this chaunge, but we ſhould alſo call to minde, this great benefit which was the cauſe of it.
If Adam had cauſe to ſpend a day in prayſing God for his creation, then wee hauehave greater cauſe, ſeeth beſides that we hauehave alſo the redemption to bee thankefull for. And if this bee a good argument, wee keepe not the ſelfe ſame day that the Iewes did, therefore the dutie is abolliſhed, and wee are bound to keepe none, then by the ſame reaſon one might conclude thus: you ſee wee hauehave not the ſame ſacraments, for the outward ſeales that the Iewes had, for they had circumciſion, and they had the paſcall Lambe, what tell you mee of the conſecrate water, and of the bread and wine hallowed, the Iewes had no ſuch matter, ſith theſe ſignes be altered, I think it was but a ceremonie, and wee neede not regard baptiſme, & the ſupper: this were no good argument in this caſe, for though the ſhadowes bee other, yet the ſubſtance bee the ſame, Chriſt Ieſus is ſignified by our bread and wine, as well as by their Lambe, and our baptiſme is the ſacrament of regeneration, as well as their circumciſion. Therefore wee ſhould not deſpiſe them, but ſo much the more bee carefull to prepare our ſelues for them, becauſe the ſeruice is more eaſie & the promiſes more lightſome. If then it will not hold that we hauehave no ſacraments, becauſe the outward ſeales bee altered, then it is as weake a conſequence, that wee hauehave no ſeauenth day to bee ſanctified, becauſe the day is altered, and wee keepe not the ſame that they did. So that no proofe can be gathered from the varying of the daie, that the dutie is aboliſhed, becauſe the authoritie is as ſtrong, the reaſon as good, and the ſame reaſon doth not hold in other things.
Againe they object that to a chriſtian eueryevery day is a ſabboth day, and therefore wee ſhould not reſtraine it to one day more then another: but the anſwere to this is, that it is moſt falſe, for God doth not require neither is a chriſtian able to keep eueryevery day a ſabboth day, ſo long as they remain on earth, indeede in heauen hee ſhall keepe a continuall ſabboth vntounto the Lord, but now ſo long as wee liue, there is as much difference betwixt the ſabboth day and otheir daies, as betwixt the conſecrate bread wee receiue at the Lords table, and the common bread wee receiue at our owne table. This is true that eueryevery one muſt ſerue God on the ſixe daies, and all his life long, but on the ſeauenth day wee muſt not onelyonly ſerue God, but we muſt ſerue him in the duties of religion and mercy, onelyonly. As for example, Gods children will not eat meat at their owne table, without crauing Gods bleſsing vponupon them, but when they are to come to the table of the Lord, they vſe a greater and more ſolemne preparation, becauſe they expect a greater and more excellent bleſsing: ſo likewiſe a chriſtian in all the workes of his calling, hath a regard to ſerue and glorifie God, but in a more ſpeciall manner vponupon the ſeauenth day, becauſe hee then lookes for a more plentifull and liberall benediction both vponupon his ſoule and bodie; and theſe men that among vsus keepe ſuch a prating that eueryevery day muſt bee a ſabboth, and wee muſt reſt from ſinne, marke them whether they reſt from ſinne at all, and obſerue if there bee any families ſo bade as theirs, that commonly if one would rake hell, as wee ſay, hee could not meete with more prophane and irreligious perſons that ſpeake of keeping eueryevery day holy, but in truth keepe eueryevery day vnholy; but others that in conſcience of Gods commandement, doe binde themſelues to keeping of the ſabboth which God hath inſtituted, goe farre beyond them in all vertue and holineſſe, if they could ſhew any good effect in themſelues of this their euerie day ſabboth, we might giuegive ſome credit to them, for God doth alwaies giuegive a bleſsing to his owne ordinance, but for ſuch vilde and vnholy perſons, that in all their life neuer kept a ſabboth holy, to make a talke of keeping eueryevery day as a ſabboth, it is moſt palpable and damnable hipocriſie.
The laſt objection of which wee will ſpeake, is taken out of 1. Coloſ. 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in reſpect of an holiday, or of a new moone, or of the ſabboth daies. So that the Apoſtle ſay they, puts the ſabboth among other ceremonies, which are to bee abrogated: but for the anſwering of this, we muſt know that the Apoſtle ſpeakes of ſuch ſabboths, as are in the ſame ranke with the meates and drinkes, whereof hee ſpeaks before of, which ſort were the firſt day of eueryevery month, and the firſt and laſt day of eueryevery one of their ſolemne feaſts, of theſe hee ſpeakes in the plurall number, and not of the ſabboth day, the Lords day in the ſingular number, which hath a ſinguler excellencie, and how euer times chaunge neuer changeth: then Eaſter and Penticoſt, and the other feaſts of like kinde, are indeede abrogated, as being ceremonies not written in the tables of ſtone as this was.
And thus much for the proouing of this, that this ſabboth is morrall and perpetuall: which ſith it is ſo, the vſe is for the confutation of ſuch as ſharpen their tongues and wits, and open their mouthes to ſpeake againſt it, not content to take libertie themſelues, but would make a gap for others to breake out alſo. It is a vilde and notorious ſinne, to bee prophane in ones owne perſon, and to practiſe the breach of any of Gods commandements, but to draw others to impietie, and as much as they can to breake the yoke wherewith God hath yoked them, this is much more intollerable. This is juſt the diuell himſelfe, when hee had fallen from his vprightneſſe, and rebelled againſt God, the next worke hee tooke in hand was to allure Adam to ſinne, and make him as verie a rebell againſt God as himſelfe, ſo theſe wicked men, limmes of the diuell, that themſelues are corrupted and lie vnderunder the curſe of God, will take ſo much paines about nothing, as to peruert others, and being ſtark naught themſelues, to make all men if it might bee like them.
This alſo is for our inſtruction, that wee muſt ſo reſt vponupon Gods reaſons, and ſo ſtand for his worſhip, as that eueryevery blaſt and objection of a prophane perſon may not blow vsus away, and weaken our reuerence to Gods ordinance: It is a great fault that wee are no better confirmed in the truth, but that euerie breath of an heretique will put vsus downe, and ſet vsus to the wall as it were, that wee ſtand in a mammering, and know not whether wee goe right or wrong: it is an euident token that men bee ladenwith ſinnes, and carried away of their luſt, when the often preaching of the truth, cannot ſo eſtabliſh them it, as that they can ſay, we are ſo reſolued in our harts that this is the truth of God, as that by Gods merciemercy we had rather forſake our liues then forſake it, but none can attaine to ſuch knowledge, but ſuch as hauehave a pure and an vpright hart. And this that men be ſo quickly moued from the truth, is not becauſe of the ſtrength of the arguments made againſt it, but by reaſon of their owne weakneſſe, which hauehave not the ſpirit of truth to leade them into the truth, and to confirme and ſhew them errors and hereſies, and make them lothſome vntounto them, and giuegive them power againſt them. Therfore we muſt labour for this ſpirit of truth, which may ſo ſettle and ground vsus in the truth, as that euerie ſtorme of a falſe opinion from the mouth of ſome fantaſticall and vaine perſon, that hath no godlineſſe nor learning to commend him, that neuer did any thing nor ſuffered any thing for Chriſts ſake, may not weaken our hold, and ſhake our foundation, and caſt vsus downe from the truth, that we ſhould be ſeduced by them. Nay, we ſhould be ſo far from yeelding to the falſe dreames of ſuch, as that when they grow obſtinate, we ſhould not ſhew the leaſt token of allowance, or any countenance, to them; we ſhould not entertaine them or receaue them to houſe, or bid them God ſpeed, for he that doth ſo as Saint Iohn ſaith, is pertaker of his euill deedes, becauſe in ſo doing, he confirmes them in their ſinne, & brings himſelfe in certaine daunger to be infected by them. And thus much for that, that this keeping of a ſeauenth day holy, by ſetting it apart to the duties of religion onelyonly, & merciemercy is a morall and perpetuall dutie to continue while the world continues. Now let vsus come more perticulerly to the words of the commandement. Firſt for that word: