A Modest Plea for the Lords Day, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. To inſiſt upon the old Sabbath is to Judaize, and non-communion our ſelves to all Chriſtian Churches in the World, both in this and former Ages.
FRom what hath been ſaid muſt needs follow, that for us now to inſiſt upon the old Sabbath, hath a double guilt attending upon it.
1. The firſt is Judaizing.
2. The ſecond is declining communion with all the Churches of Chriſt that are or ever were in the world. Judaizing ſignifies a tenacious adhering to the Jewiſh Rites, and Cuſtoms, after that Chriſt hath eſtabliſhed a New Heaven, and a new Earth. This was the Jews great ſin. It was one piece of our Lords errand into the world, To change the cuſtoms which Moſes delivered. A Truth aſſerted by the firſt Chriſtian Martyr, and for it he was accuſed, Acts 6.14. That this was one of thoſe cuſtoms, is plain, if it were not commanded in the fourth Commandment, which we have proved it was not. Nor doth it hinder that it begun before Moſes, ſo did Sacrifices, and Circumciſion, yet they were the Cuſtoms of Moſes, and Circumciſion is ſo called, Acts 21.21. He was the firſt who wrote the Laws about them. For any perſon to adhere to any Iewiſh cuſtom after Chriſts death, and reſurrection, is in effect to deny Chriſt to be come in the fleſh. Let me in the bowels of Chriſt, beſeech our Brethren to be ſerious in this thing: I ſay again, Whatſoever related to the Worſhip of God, and fell not expreſly under one of the ten Commandments, and that primarily, nor is eſtabliſhed in the New Teſtament, could be nothing elſe but a piece of Moſes, a Moſaical cuſtom, which Chriſt came on purpoſe to alter; and to adhere ſtill to them, is to proclaim againſt Heaven, I have no part in the Son of David. Hence the Apoſtle tells the Galathians, If they were circumciſed, Chriſt profited them nothing (that is, thinking themſelves under an obligation to be circumciſed) and again he tells them, he was afraid of them, leſt he had beſtowed all his labour amongſt them in vain, preached the Goſpel to them in vain: why? you obſerve dayes, and months, and times, and years, Gal. 4.11. that is, Such Religious dayes as the Jews obſerved according to Moſes: I know many of our Brethren will tremble at the apprehenſion of this, I believe many of them have ſaid to the Lord Chriſt, Thou at my portion, and that their Souls in truth ſay, None but Chriſt, None but Chriſt; and did they know it, would not deny the Lord that bought them, or by any action interpretatively deny, his Authority to alter the cuſtomes of Moſes. I humbly beg of them, that in tenderneſs to the Lord that bought them, in love to their own Souls, as I truſt they fear every ſin, ſo they would fear their Souls ſinning in this point of Judaizing, which the Apoſtle (as to other points) layes ſo much ſtreſs upon, both in his Epiſtle to the Romans and Galatians, and Coloſsians, and all along in every Epiſtle. And in a further evidence of this, let me beſeech our Brethren in all ſeriouſneſs to conſider, whither the poring upon this notion hath led others, and let them who yet ſtand, take heed leſt they ſo fall. There have not been many Leaders in this, opinion known to the World in this latter Age.
The firſt was John Thrask; I never heard that he publiſhed any thing in Print, in the Pulpit he did. A man of ſo ordinary parts, that it was ſome time before he could paſs his examination to be made a Miniſter, after this he preached this new Doctrine, and was for it cenſured in the Star-chamber, and recanted it, and died obſcurely at Lambeth. But this is that which I deſire may be noted, he (ſay our Hiſtorians) equally preached up the obligation of the other Levitical rites.
The next was Theophilus Brabourn, originally a Trader in Stockins, after made a Miniſter, and 1628. he publiſhed a book for the Jewiſh Sabbath, a book (to give it its due) wherein a thouſand times more is ſaid for it, and to anſwer arguments againſt his ſide, than in all Books ever wrote before or ſince. He hath been abundantly anſwered by divers (though on differing Principles) he lived till within theſe few years; till he came to aſſert three Gods, and grew to keep no Sabbath, for on his ſeventh day he would ordinarily make Bargains, take in intereſt Money, let out more, ſeal Writings, &c. Mr. Ockford was another, what he was, where or how he lived, what he held more, &c. I cannot tell.
The next was Mr. Tilham, who at Colcheſter in Eſſex made much ſtir about this point, and wrote one or two Books. He was reported before to have been a Papiſt, ſure I am his Books ſhew not the learning of an ordinary School-boy. With him one Pooly (a wild-headed Norfolk Preacher) joyned, he was a man of a raſh, giddy head, and Principles. Both theſe after went over Seas, where (I preſume our Brethren know upon too good information) they both were circumciſed, and to what elſe they ran I know not. I ſpeak not this (God knows) to upbraid, or mock at our Brethren, but by theſe examples, to ſhew them the tendency of this opinion, and practice, whither it leadeth poor Chriſtians. This Tilhams Book (though I think one of the weakeſt and abſurdeſt ever wrote on the ſubject) is what my Brethren in theſe parts glory in. I know for a Teacher, by a lively voice, they had a perſon of much more worth than Brahourn, Pooly, or Tilham, Mr. Rich. Breviter (who I perſwade my ſelf is at reſt with God) he was a good Scholler, and a perſon of a ſober life, and conſcientious to his Principles, and to whom the Name of Chriſt I think was truly precious; how far he had drank in this opinion, and to what degree he was perſwaded of it, I cannot tell. Sure I am, never ſo much as to print any diſcourſe for it. But I ſhall add no more upon this (I am ſure) unpleaſing ſubject.
2. If our brethren would avoid this charge, the next I am ſure they cannot. To obſerve the ſeventh day ſabbath, is to noncommunion our ſelves from all Churches that ever were, or are in the world. I mean Goſpel-Churches. To ſay nothing of the time paſt, Chriſtian-Churches alwayes condemning them as Hereticks, that kept that Sabbath (upon which account the Ebionites were condemned,) I do not think unworthy of our brethrens ſad thoughts. That this day there is no conſiderable number of Chriſtians under Heaven any where, that keep the Sabbath they keep. Our Brethren know that I am no great man for Traditions. But certainly the cuſtom and practice of the whole Church, in all times, and in all places, not contradicted by any valuable number of perſons of any perſwaſion, is not to be deſpiſed by any but ſuch as will arrogate to themſelves, more knowledge of the mind of God than all the world beſides. I muſt confeſs, I doubt whether there be any one univerſal tradition except this; nor is this purely ſuch: but my meaning is, that there is no one thing as to which the practice of the whole Church in all ages is ſo on all ſides confeſſed, and out of doubt. Now the ſtrength of this lies here. It is not reaſonable to think that God ſhould leave his whole Church, in all times, to ſuch a miſtake as to the ſolemn time of worſhip. The general ſenſe of the faithful is upon this account juſtly valuable in moſt controverted points. I ſpare inſtances here, they are abundantly given by Dr. Young, Mr. Caudry, and Mr. Warren. Where the learned of our brethren may find them. I profeſſedly write to my neighbours, who I know would be little edified by quotations in Greek and Latin. To leave therefore the practice of the former times, from the very Apoſtles times; which is very ſignificant, at leaſt together with what evidence we have in the holy writ.
2. I ſay there is no preſent Churches of our brethrens mind or practice. So as they plainly caſt off communion with all Churches of Chriſt on the Earth; and deprive their ſouls of the great advantage which they might have by it, and certainly this is no light thing to thoſe who know their Saviours walks in the mideſt of the golden candleſticks, (and ſurely they ſhould be near him, where he is.) To evidence this, I perceive many of them wholy abſenting themſelves from all religious meetings on the Lords day (the only ſolemn time obſerved by all Chriſtians near them) it may be in prudence and to avoid ſcandal they do not openly labour, but neither are they will that day worſhiping God. If any of them will that day go hear a Sermon, I appeal to them, whether they go as to a Sabbath duty, with that preparation, with that faith in the promiſes to them who keep the Lords Sabbath as they ſhould go who expect a bleſſing from the Lord of the Sabbath. Ah! my brethren is it nothing to you? Is it nothing to you to have your places empty at the Lords ſolemn aſſemblies? to be out when the joint-fighs, prayers, and tears of Gods people, are poured out before the Lord? if indeed you could judge none fearing God but your ſelves, it were ſome plea: but I know you have more charity: why are you then divided from them? why will you then loſe the advantage of their prayers? and deny them the advantage of your prayers? I muſt profeſs were there nothing elſe to keep me off, this very one thing would keep me off from that opinion. Eccl. 3.10. Woe to him that is alone, when he falleth: for he hath not another to help him up: Of the gifts and graces of how many precious miniſters, and the advantage you might have from them, do you deprive your ſelves? Have your ſouls no need of their interpretations of Scriptures? their opening Goſpel myſteries, their powerful exhortations, and arguments for holineſs, their directions for your Chriſtian converſation? I beſeech you reflect upon your own ſouls, ſince the time that (in zeal to this opinion) you divided your ſelves from the generality of Chriſtians. Have your ſouls proſpered as formerly? Have you ſo increaſed in the knowledge of God? Have you had ſuch love, and zeal for God? have you ſo grown in any exerciſe of grace? Indeed it is not reaſonable for any to think that you ſhould, you have not had the means. This is not an age in which the Lord worketh in a way of miracles: but produceth his great works by means fitted to them. Our brethren muſt be very partiall to themſelves, and their preſent teachers, if they think them, for gifts and graces, comparable to thoſe godly, and able miniſters, under who… miniſtry they formerly ſate. The Hiſtorian ſayes of Mr. Thrask, that beſides a voice, he had nothing: we know how little judgement Brabourn had in any thing, but this one point: And how little Mr. Tilham had, there needs no further witneſs then his own book, where is vanity and wickedneſs enough. Souls cannot feed upon a meer aiery, empty, roaring voice, it is the word of God they live upon, the word of God truly, judiciouſly, and faithfully opened, and powerfully applied. I appeal to our brethrens conſciences, whether they judge their preſent teachers, ſo able and fit for this work, as the Godly able miniſte… of Chriſt, who have wholly given up themſelves to the ſtudy of the Scriptures: and to the ſearch of the mind of God in them. I do not ſpeak for every one that hath the confidence to wear a gown. But I am ſure our brethren know and will acknowledg…, that all parts of England are filled with ſome number, or others of able faithful preachers. Now certainly it is no ſmall diſadvantage to our brethren, to deprive themſelves of all the gifts, and labours of theſe ſervants of God, while they walk alone erecting teachers to themſelves.