The Jewish Sabbath Abrogated, Frontispiece – Errata
Benjamin. Keach Miniſter of the Gospel▪ Aetat. 57.
THE JEWISH SABBATH ABROGATED: OR, THE Saturday Sabbatarians confuted. In Two Parts.
Firſt, Proving the Abrogation of the Old Seventh-day Sabbath.
Secondly, That the Lord's-Day is of Divine Appointment.
Containing ſeveral Sermons newly preach'd upon a ſpecial Occaſion, wherein are many new Arguments not found in former Authors.
By BENJAMIN KEACH.
Gal. 5. 1. Stand faſt therefore in the Liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made us free, and be not again intangled with the Yoke of Bondage.
LONDON; Printed and ſold by John Marſhall at the Bible in Grace-Church-ſtreet, 1700.
To the READER.
THere is not one Controvertable Point in and about Religion that I leſs thought to have been concerned with this way, than that contained in theſe Sermons preſented here to thy view, until I was alarm'd on a ſudden, and provoked (ſome few Months ago) to undertake it; there being one Perſon eſpecially under my charge (who for ſome time, by his unſettled and wavering Spirit, and aſpiring Temper, I feared would be troubleſome) who had for ſome conſiderable time, unknown to me, ſuck'd in the Notion of the Jewiſh Sabbath, and laboured to corrupt many others of the younger ſort, ſome of which, with himſelf, fell into the Practice of keeping that Day, and caſt off the Lord's-day, as not being of Divine Appointment. Some of them being Apprentices, declared they would and could do any Buſineſs or Work for their Maſters upon the firſt Day of the Week: And this Principle they received without acquainting me or the Church with it, or ever coming to me to hear what I had to ſay againſt it; inſomuch that when it was publickly known, it had almoſt put the whole Congregation into a flame; but to prevent which, I was deſired by divers Members to endeavour to convince them by Scripture and ſolid Arguments, which I laboured to do, but found all was in vain as to ſeveral of them.
So that the Brethren ſaw it was neceſſary for me to preach upon this Subject, which I my ſelf perceived an abſolute neceſſity to do; and praiſed be the Lord who hath bleſſed my Undertaking herein, and anſwered my hopes, which was not ſo much to regain thoſe hot-headed and conceited young Men, as to eſtabliſh, confirm and ſtrengthen all others; many being much ſtartled, and doubting which Day they ought to obſerve, which the Ringleaders I perceived much gloried at, ſome of them giving it out, that they hoped to bring over great part of the Congregation to their Opinion; but theſe ſeaſonable and timely Endeavours, through the Bleſſing of God, have, I hope, finally prevented their Deſign, all generally (ſave them who were at firſt corrupted) being throughly eſtabliſhed in the Obſervation of the Lord's-day in oppoſition to the old Seventh-day Sabbath: And ſeveral that were wavering told me how fully all their Doubts were reſolved by hearing ſome of theſe Sermons preached.
Theſe things firſt mentioned being the occaſion of my inſiſting upon this Controverſy, I hope all will ſay my Call was juſt; and none will or can blame me, that have no prejudice againſt me. And now alſo at the requeſt and deſire of many (ſome not Members with us) the Sermons are publiſhed, hoping they may be of ſome uſe to the Church of God in general.
As to the Work it ſelf, all may perceive that I have taken no ſmall Pains according to my ſmall Ability, in ſearching not only into God's Word, but alſo into the Works and Labours of many pious and learned Authors; and I have cited (to confirm my own Arguments) many Paſſages out of their Writings. (1.) Thinking their words might do more with ſome Perſons, than any thing I my ſelf might ſay, whoſe Learning and Abilities far exceed mine. (2.) Becauſe few may be ever ſaw ſome of theſe Books. I have, 'tis true, repeated ſome things two or three times which I look upon emphatical, that they might make the greater Impreſſion on ſuch Readers, for whoſe ſake theſe Sermons are publiſhed, viz. who are not learned; for others need not my help.
Reader, I did not (for ſome reaſons) deliver from the Pulpit great part of what is here publiſhed; and alſo ſome things I might ſay that are here omitted, which being not in my Notes, I could not remember.
Dr. Owen, Dr. Wallis, Mr. Warren, &c. in particular, with ſeveral other Reverend Miniſters, have ſaid enough to ſatisfy any on this Subject, whoſe Books have not ever been anſwered. In my Citations of divers Authors, I have tranſcribed both the Greek and Latin, that all may know the original words, of which our Opponents would make ſome earnings; and I can ſolemnly ſay I have not wilfully miſt in any Quotation. And if any of theſe Sabbatarians make Reply to me, let them rather anſwer them (eſpecially thoſe three I have now mentioned) than me, it will be more for their Honour: And this I will ſay, if they do think to reply, unleſs they anſwer what theſe and other learned Men have ſaid which I have here recited, I ſhall take it for no Anſwer at all: Let them therefore attempt to do it effectually, or not meddle with it.
'Tis true, I differ from divers learned Men in one or two things I have cited, and from Reverend Dr. Owen particularly, i. e. about Adam in Innocency, and the Patriarchs keeping the …eventh Day; yet what the Doctor ſaith on Heb. 4. doth well comport with my Principle: but tho as ſoon as God finiſhed his Work, he reſted, and that day of Reſt enſued thereon, to anſwer the end of Creation, and the Covenant of Works; yet I can't ſee any ground to believe it was given to any to obſerve until Moſes's time, Exod. 16. for reaſons I and others have given. Moreover, Dr. Wallis has ſhewed in his Rejoiner to Mr. Bamfield, p. 123. that that very Day before it rained Manna could not be a Sabbath, becauſe on that day Quails covered the Camp, and they were not forbid to gather them, Exod. 16. 8, 13. But no more of that here. I expect better uſage or treatment from theſe Opponents than I met formerly with from ſome others about another Controverſy, who left the Argument to abuſe my Perſon; yet I may ſay (with a late *Mr. Graſcome.Writer on this Subject) as for the Leaders (he ſaith Deceivers) I deſpair of doing good to them, but ſhall be glad if I may be an Inſtrument to recover any that are miſled, or deceived: Self-denial is a hard Leſſon. You will find many new Arguments I think not found in former Authors. I ſhall conclude with Advice to unſettled Perſons, who are ready to receive Novelties. But firſt, take a Note or two how you may know ſuch: they that are firmly rooted in the Truth will not be ſoon ſhaken or removed.
Erronious Perſons, 1. Are ſubject to cavil with Truth doubtfully uttered, which by an honeſt Hearer will be well taken.
2. They are ſubject to contradict plain evident Truth with a delight to gainſay it, becauſe they would not have it to be otherwiſe than they believe.
3. They have a vehement deſire to infect others, or to draw many to be of their Opinion.
4. A deſire of Conference under pretence of taking Satiſfaction, but on purpoſe to vent their Notions more freely, and get the good opinion of others, and occaſion of inſulting.
5. Commend themſelves thro Pride, and diminiſh the Credit and Honour of others, and care not what pious Congregations they divide and trouble, to augment their own Company.
6. Make a Profeſſion of new Light, that hardly any before them ever attained, and that all are in darkneſs but themſelves.
7. Pretend to Conſcience, and that they would imbrace the Truth when they ſee it: yet after clear Demonſtration of Truth they remain ſtubborn, and perſevere in their Errors.
8. They matter not Church-dealings, nor any juſt and righteous Cenſure, nor regard their own moſt ſolemn Church-Engagements, ſo that they can but pleaſe their own fancy, and feed on their new Notions the more greedily—And hardly can a Man receive an Error, but he will prove a Seducer of others.
9. They ſhew great Zeal and concernedneſs of Mind if they find any oppoſe their Errors, as if their All lay at ſtake.
10. And if they receive one Error, they are ready to receive more.
11. They commonly ſeem uneaſy under the Word where they are Members, and catch at any thing to blemiſh their Miniſter, and will wander abroad to hear as their fancies lead them, as if under no Government, tho they grieve and afflict the Church and Members to whom they belong, breaking Chriſt's Bands, and caſting his Cords from them.
To cloſe, (1.) Take heed of erronious Books, and if you doubt do not preſently turn your Doubts into Practice. (2.) Beware of your own private Interpretation of Scripture, and confer with ſuch as have better Judgments than your ſelves. (3.) Suſpect all private Opinions which differ and diſſent from the general Doctrine, as taught by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and owned in the two next Ages after them, or that diſſent from the general Doctrine and Practice of ſuch whom you believe in this Age have obtained the cleareſt Light: remember the way of Truth is no By-path, but trodden by the Primitive Flock or Goſpel-Churches. (4.) Beſure hear what can be ſaid againſt your Notion, as well as what you hear for it. There is one thing I ſhould have noted touching the Error of theſe Sabbatarians, viz. their Notion brings in an external force upon the Conſcience in matters of Religion; for they muſt force their Children and Servants not only to reſt, but to worſhip God on the ſeventh Day tho againſt their Light, or they are guilty of Sabbathbreaking. But I will add no more.
O that God would put a Rebuke on, and ſtop all the Errors of theſe evil days, and increaſe Love among his People! Let us all cry for more of the Anointing, or for the latter Rain, and the glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that is now juſt at the door. And, Reader, if thou doſt receive any profit by what is here wrote, give the Glory to God, and let me have thy Prayers, who am thy Soul's Friend and Servant in the Goſpel,
Horſly-down, Southwark, this 12th of Jan. 1699-1700. Benj. Keach.
The Contents of this Book.
The Firſt Part.
SErmon I. The occaſion of theſe Sermons, with the Scope of the Text, Pag. 1 to 6. The Terms opened, and eight Explanatory Propoſitions, p. 6 to 16.
Serm. II. The 9th Propoſition containing many things about this Controverſy, out of Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 23 to 27. The General Propoſition from whence the Author proceeds in his whole Work, in ſix Particulars, p. 28, 29. No Law of the Sabbath written in Adam's Heart in Innocency, ſhewed in ſix Particulars, p. 29 to 35. No poſitive Command given to Adam to keep the 7th day as a Sabbath, proved by 12 Arguments, p. 37 to 56.
Serm. III. The Patriarchs kept not the 7th day, proved in 12 Arguments. p. 58 to 74.
Serm. IV. The Sabbath begun in the Wilderneſs of Sin, Exod. 16. p. 75, 76. What a Moral Precept is, ſhew'd from the Learned, p. 88, 89. The ſimple Morality of the 4th Command conſists not in the obſervance of the preciſe 7th Day, proved by 4 Arguments, p. 86 to 91.
Serm. V. Eight Arguments more to prove the ſame, p. 93 to 124. The 7th Day a ſign of the Covenant of Works, p. …, 104. What a Shadow of, p. 107.
Serm. 6. The Law of the Decalogue was only given to Iſrael and Proſelites, p. 125 to 133. Objections anſwered from Rom. 3. 19. Gal. 4. 5. and James, p. 133 to 135. The Moral Law in the hand of Chriſt as Mediator, p. 136 to 147. No Precept nor Precedent to keep the 7th day in the New Teſtament, p. 147 to 152.
Serm. VII. Ten Arguments againſt the 7th Day, p. 155 to 158. The Law of the 7th Day Sabbath not written in the Hearts of Goſpel-Believers; p. 156, 157. Twelve dangerous Conſequents attending the Opinion of theſe Sabbatarians, p. 161 to 172.
The ſecond Part.
SErmon I. The Scope of the Text opened, p. 175, 176. The firſt Day of Divine Appointment: Man has no power to appoint a weekly Day of Worſhip, p. 178, 179. The Equity of one Day in ſeven, p. 180. How to diſtinguiſh Moral Precepts from Ceremonial, p. 181, 182. Pentecoſt proved the firſt Day of the Week. A long citation of Mr. Warren, who cites Dr. Ulher's Letter to Dr. Twiſs, from p. 186 to 198.
Serm. II. The Foundation of the firſt Day; partly containing Citations of Dr. Owen on Heb. 4. from p. 200 to 221. This is the Day the Lord hath made, p. 210 to 214. Firſt day confirmed by the Examples of the Goſpel-Saints and Churches, p. 214 to 223.
Serm. III. Firſt day proved from Acts 20. 7. p. 224. Alſo from Rev. 1. 10. The Lord's Day proved to be the firſt Day of the Week, p. 224 to 248.
Serm. 4. Proving there is one Day of the Week for preaching the Word in ſeaſon, and that 'tis the firſt Day, p. 248, 249. The firſt Day proved from 1 Cor. 16. 12. p. 250. to 264. When the firſt Day begins, and how it ought to be kept, from p. 266 to the end.
Faults eſcaped the Preſs, which before you read pray correct with your Pen.
PAge 23. in the Contents, line 6. for no, read any. P. 93. l. 5. for ſix, r. eight. P. 104. l. 11. for God's Covenant, r. is called the Covenant. P. 132. laſt line ſave one, r. not without Law to God. P. 140. l. 26. for breaking, r. breakers. P. 142. laſt line, for by, r. is. P. 143. l. 3. blot out Law. P. 147. l. 33. r. Sabbath was made, blot out not. P. 180. l. 27. for he, r. our. P. 205. Title, for Heb. 4. 11. r. Heb. 4. 9. and ſo P. 207. P. 219. l. 16. f. had they met, r. meeting together. P. 249. l. 25. for approved it, r. and he approved of it. P. 263. l. 26. for when they that intimate, r. when they intimate.