The Jewish Sabbath Abrogated, Part 1 · Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
Containing ten Arguments againſt the obſervance of the Jewiſh Sabbath. The Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath not written in the Hearts of Believers, or God's new Covenant Children, which is in Anſwer to the ſixth and laſt pretended Proof for our Obſervation thereof. Twelve dangerous Conſequences that neceſſarily follow their Principle, who aſſert the preciſe Seventh-day Sabbath is a pure moral Precept.
Gal. iv. 10, 11.
Ye obſerve days, and months, &c.
BRethren, I have anſwer'd ſeveral pretended Proofs brought from the New Teſtament for the obſervation of the old Jewiſh Sabbath. I ſhall mention one morc, viz.
Object. 5. It is objected further, That it is certain that the Jews kept Sabbaths at the time of Paul's writing his Epiſtles, and were zealous for all the Law. Thus Mr. Soarsby.
Anſ. 1. May be 'tis aptly enough put in Sabbaths, as comprehending other Sabbaths as well as the Jews weekly Sabbath.
2. But were they not as zealous for Circumciſion alſo? Nay, the Objection allows they were zealous for the whole Law; and it is not deny'd but Paul was forced to comply with their weakneſs for a time, till they were fully formed as to the Ceſſation or Abrogation of …oſe legal Rites, nay of the whole Law as in …e hand of Moſes.
So that Paul's forbearance with them in their …fancy and Weakneſs, is weakly urged.
Theſe being the chief Proofs I find brought … prove it our Duty to keep the ſeventh Day out … the New Teſtament, I ſhall add divers Arguments in oppoſition to what they ſay on this …count.
1ſt. Several Arguments againſt the Obſervation of the old Jewiſh Sabbath.Our Saviour's Carriage and Behaviour …owards the old Sabbath, and his Expreſſions about it, which I have mention'd, ſhews he was far from confirming that either as a Moral, or Goſpel Duty.
2dly. Paul's declaring againſt all Jewiſh Days without exception, as Shadows, &c. may con…nce all that he obſerv'd it not in compliance with the Law of Moſes, or as a Command given to him by Chriſt the only Lawgiver.
3dly. His putting the Eſtimation of the Jewiſh Sabbath-day among Meats and Drinks, Rom. 14. 5.or as indifferent things, which a Chriſtian may do or …ot do, ſhews that Sabbath was gone.
I do believe when Paul ſaith, One man eſteemeth one day above another, and another eſteemeth every day alike, that he intends not all days of …he week without exception, but every day …ave the firſt day, or the Lord's-day; becauſe …e ſpeaks of Jewiſh Rites, Days, and Scruples about Meats and Drinks among them. For …e gave Command about the ſolemn Duties and Obſervation of the firſt Day of the week to all the Churches, as I ſhall prove.
1. Therefore let none once think that Paul was for the obſervance of no ſpecial day above others, in the Worſhip of God, in the Goſpel-Diſpenſation.
2. Neither let any conclude from hence, th… he gave liberty to the Saints to keep the Jewiſh Sabbath any further than they looked upon … as an indifferent thing; nor any longer th… till their Underſtanding was further inlight… and their Conſciences better informed. F… how ſevere was he with thoſe (as in my Te… who lay any ſtreſs upon it, i.e. as a moral D… ty, or of neceſſity to a holy Life?
4thly. This appears, becauſe Chriſt, who received from his Father the whole Will of God and was faithful as a Son in declaring all thing commanded him,Heb. 2. 2. hath not commanded us (… given the leaſt ground or reaſon for us to believe we ought) to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath. Beſides, he confirms afreſh all ſimple moral Precepts, &c. as I have ſhew'd Obſerve what he ſaith;Joh. 15. 15. For all things th… … have heard of my Father I have made … unto you. ch. 12. 49.The Father that ſent me, he gave … Commandement what I ſhould ſay, and what … ſhould ſpeak.
5thly. We read Acts 15. 1, &c. of fal… Brethren that went from Jeruſalem, and taugh… the believing Gentiles, that unleſs they were circumciſed and kept the Law of Moſes, they coul… not be ſaved; or that it was needful for them … to do, ver. 15.
1. Pray obſerve the matter well: for no… we may expect to hear, if ever, whether … be the Duty of believing Gentiles or not … keep the Seventh-day Sabbath, becauſe th… was none of the leaſt Precepts of the Law … Moſes; and this was one thing, no doubt which theſe falſe Brethren taught them to obſerve.
2. All the great and chief Apoſtles meet together abont this matter, and conſulted what Anſwer to ſend; and they had the extraordinary preſence of the Holy Ghoſt with them, …o dictated to them what to write.
3. And this was the Reſult, Act. 15. 29.viz. For it ſeem'd …d to the Holy Ghoſt and to us, to lay upon you greater Burden than theſe neceſſary things, that …abſtain from Meats offer'd to Idols, and from …ood, and from things ſtrangled, and from For…cation; from which if ye keep your ſelves, ye …ll do well. Fare ye well.
Note, theſe things were forbidden in the …w, and theſe things they commanded them …t to do; but not one word that they ſhould …ep the Sabbath given in Moſes's Law: this is …ne of thoſe things they ſhould obſerve. therefore it is not the Counſel or Mind of the …oly Ghoſt that Gentile Believers ſhould keep at Day.
6thly. Act. 20. 27.Paul ſays poſitively, that he had not …nned to declare to the Saints all the Counſel of …d. Ver. 20.And how he kept back nothing that was pro…able to them, but had ſhewed them all things, &c. …ow I challenge any Man in the World to …ew that Paul ever made known, or ſhew'd …em this thing, viz. that it was their Duty to …ep the Seventh-day Sabbath: therefore I in…r, this is none of the Counſel of God, nor …ofitable to Believers in Goſpel-days. From …hence I argue thus, i.e.
Arg. 1. Paul declared all, or the whole Coun… of God: Paul did not declare the Seventh-…bbath; Ergo, that is none of the Counſel of …od.
2. If he did declare the Seventh-day Sabbath, … make it known to the Saints to be God's Coun…, ſome one Man or another can ſhew us the …ace where it is written: but no one Man can …ew us the place where it is written that he declared or made known to the Saints that the ſeventh-day Sabbath was the Counſel of God Ergo, it is none of the Counſel of God to … Saints or Goſpel-Believers.
7thly. The holy Spirit, ſaith our Lord, … receive of mine, Joh. 16. 13, 14.and ſhew it unto you. Again … ſaith, The Spirit of Truth ſhall guide you … all Truth. But the Spirit of Truth neither guides Believers into the obſervation of the ſeventh Day, &c. in the Word or New Teſtament; nor by his inward Motions, Influence and Operations on their Hearts: therefore it … none of their Duty to obſerve that Day.
8thly. If not one Goſpel-Church obſerved … Seventh-day Sabbath in meeting together as … Church, to diſcharge the Duties of … Worſhip; then it is not the Duty of Believer… in Goſpel-days to obſerve it.—But not on… Goſpel-Church, &c. obſerv'd the Seventh-day Sabbath, &c. Therefore 'tis not Believers Duty in Goſpel-days to obſerve it.
Let them ſhew us where one Goſpel-Church did obſerve that day in meeting together, as … Church, to diſcharge the Duties of Goſpel Worſhip, and I will give up the Cauſe.
So much in this reſpect there is in an Apoſtolical Precedent in my Judgment: for what was the Practice of one Church as a Church was the Duty and Practice of every Church.
9thly. Gentile Believers ought not to obſerve the Seventh-day Sabbath, becauſe the Churches in the Goſpel time obſerved, in Religious Duties and Worſhip, the firſt day of the week: and we are not required to keep two days in every week in God's ſolemn Worſhip.
10thly. Becauſe the Law of God written in the Hearts of all Believers, doth not teach them to obſerve the Seventh-day Sabbath. And this brings me to the laſt general Argument.
Sixthly, No Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath written in the Hearts of God's New Covenant Children.If it be not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from the Law written by the Spirit of the living God in the Hearts of all his New-Covenant Children, it is not their Duty to keep it, becauſe by no other Law I have proved it is their Duty; and now I ſhall prove that it is not their Duty to keep it by virtue of this Law.
1. If it was their Duty by this Law to keep …t, the holy Spirit beſure had left it written in the New Teſtament: for whatſoever Law is written in our Hearts, it is but the ſame in ſubſtance (in reſpect to all ſimple moral Precepts) with what is written in the New Teſtament.
2. Conſider that God expreſly ſays in the new Covenant, Jer. 31. 33.I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their Hearts.— Saith Paul,2 Cor. 3. 3. Written not with Ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in Tables of Stone, but in the fleſhly Tables of the Heart.
This ſhews we are not to go to the Tables of Stone, to Mount Sinai, for the Law of God, now the Antitype of that is come. God's Finger has wrote his Law in better Tables; tho naturally our Hearts were like Stone, yet his Spirit can and hath written his Law there. What is God's Law but a Tranſcript, or a gracious Impreſſion of his holy Nature, or his Divine Image ſtampt on our Souls?
Now then read this bleſſed Book, ye New-Covenant Saints; look within ye holy and renewed ones, and ſee if you can find the knowledg of the ſeventh Day, or that you have this Precept written in your Hearts and inward parts. Were you ever by this Law led to know (or reproved for not obſerving) the Seventh-day Sabbath? Let me cloſe this with an Anſwer given to Tillam by Mr. Warren.
1. Tillam ſaith, Warren on the Sabb. p. 18, 19.It was written in Adam's Heart, and for this he quotes Rom. 2.
2. That it was written afterwards in Tables of Stone, for which he cites Gal. 3. 19.
3. That it is written in the fleſhly Table of renewed Hearts.
To which Mr. Warren anſwereth, ſpeaking to the latter: The Experience of almoſt all renewed Hearts in Heaven and Earth doth contradict it; for to ſpeak in the Language of Eliphas, …ob 5. 1.Call now if there be any that will anſwer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn? either Scripture-Saints, or Church-Saints; ask St. Paul, St. Cyprian, St. Chryſoſtom, St. Auguſtine, and they will tell you that your antiquated Sabbath was ſo far from being in their Hearts, that they have wrote againſt it with their Pens. Turn over the Works of the eminent Fathers—Add to theſe the moſt judicious, pious and zealous Miniſters and Martyrs of Chriſt, who have liv'd, and dy'd within the compaſs of theſe ſixteen hundred years; and moſt, if not all of them will tell you that they never owned your Saturday Sabbath; they liv'd without it, dy'd without it, and are, I doubt not, gone to Heaven without it. Beſides, how many faithful Witneſſes of late years has the Lord raiſed up to bear Teſtimony againſt it? of whom, I ſuppoſe, the greateſt part are yet alive, tho ſome are fallen aſleep. In a word, how many precious, and gracious, and pious Chriſtians are yet upon the Earth, Men and Women redeem'd from the Earth, and crucified to the World (of whom the World is not worthy) who look upon your Sabbath as a Cypher, can freely labor, and travel upon it, buy and ſell upon it, and this after accurate Inquiry about it? and to this day their Conſciences never reproach them, their Hearts never ſmote them for it. What will you ſay? Are all theſe Hypocrites, unrenewed, unſanctified ones? this were to condemn the Generation of God's Children, and canonize your ſelf, with your few miſled Aſſociates, for the only Saints in Chriſtendom; which I would hope you dare not do, tho I know*Meaning Tillam. you dare as much as another.
Well, the Adverſary is brought to this Dilemma; either God has no People in the World but ſuch as are of his Perſwaſion, or his moral and immutable Laws are not written in their Hearts; or the Saturday Sabbath is none of thoſe Laws. Thus this Author.
If the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath be written in the Hearts of Believers, ſome one Man or another can produce ſome one Believer that was by the Law written in his Heart convinc'd of it, without reading Moſes's Law, or any Book or Books compiled by Men about the Sabbath. But no Man can produce any ſuch Believer that will or can ſay this; therefore it is not written in the Hearts of Believers.
Thus it appears that it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the ſeventh Day from the Law of God written in the Hearts of God's new Covenant Children, which was the ſixth and laſt part of the general Argument firſt propoſed.
The laſt thing in ſpeaking to the Seventh-day Sabbath I promiſed to do,The dangerous Conſequences of the Sabbatarian Principles. was to ſhew you, that as ſome hold and maintain it, it is a dangerous Error.
1. Is not that dangerous which cauſed Paul to fear he had beſtowed on the Perſons he ſpeaks of, Labor in vain? Was it not becauſe they obſerv'd Jewiſh Days, laying ſtreſs on thoſe things?
2. Is not that a dangerous Error that leads Men to ratify or ſign the Covenant of Works, which binds them to keep the whole Law? This I have proved is the natural tendency of this Practice;Owen on the Sabb. p. 149. and the ſame thing Dr. Owen, you have heard, poſitively affirms alſo.
3. Is not that dangerous that magnifies the firſt Creation Work above Redemption,It magnifies Creation-work above Redemption. or the new Creation Work, when God began to create the new Heavens and new Earth, which refers to the Goſpel or new Creation? What ſaith the Lord, the old Heavens and old Earth ſhall be remembered no more; that is, in a day kept to that end: for otherwiſe ſure the great Works of the firſt Creation ought not to be forgot; but the new Creation excelling the old, the new Day muſt be kept in remembrance thereof, and not the old day.
4. Is not that a dangerous Error that tends,It eclipſes the Glory of Chriſt. as the neceſſary Conſequence of it, to eclipſe the Glory of Chriſt, as the only Lord, Head and Lawgiver to his Church, and that gives part of this Honour to Moſes?
5. Is not that dangerous that tends to intangle, and bring into Bondage, and under legal Terror, poor weak Chriſtians, as ſome who have kept the Seventh-day Sabbath have confeſſed, till God open'd their Eyes, they fearing they broke the Sabbath in ſome way or another? for indeed no Man can perfectly keep it, any more than he can keep the whole Law, as has been hinted. I was always in a trembling ſtate (ſaith one) ſo long as I kept it, &c. or to that purpoſe.
Brethren, it is not to be thought what Bondage it brought the zealous Jews under, they not knowing when they had anſwered the ſtrict obſervance of that day; and if they brake it, they muſt die without Mercy, as the poor Man that gathered Sticks on that day: they were not to ſpeak their own words, &c. How ſhould they know when they did this?On Mat. 12. 2. p. 361. Nay live, and ſin not: They would not, Mr. Trap ſaith, ſpit, nor eaſe themſelves on that day, which is hard to believe: tho ſome were ſuperſtitiouſly zealous, 'tis true; yet others who were piouſly zealous, by means of the ſtrictneſs of the Precept, continually were in fear and bondage: And ſad it is for any to be entangled again thereby.
6. Is not that a dangerous thing,Jewiſh Sabbath genders to Bondage. that by the neceſſary conſequence of it leads men to obſerve other Legal Rites and Ceremonies, as not to eat Swines-fleſh, nor wear a Garment of Linen and Woolen, nor mar the corner of their Beards? Nay, ſome of the chief of them formerly were led to Circumciſion, and to worſe than that alſo. I ſaw a Book publiſhed many years ago by two of them, in which they called themſelves the Miniſters of the Circumciſion.
That theſe things are the neceſſary Conſequences of their Notion about their Sabbath, appears, becauſe they go to Moſes for it as the Law was in his hand, and believe many other things that were meer Judicial Laws to be in force now: They are for Moſes's Law, with the Statutes and Judgments, and have declared that that Law is in force to ſtone to death ſuch as break the Sabbath.
And no marvel: for if that Sabbath be in force, the Puniſhment is in force alſo. Nay, they believe (I hear) that a rebellious Son ought to be put to death.
7. Is not that Error dangerous,It renders all that keep it not, guilty of horrid Immorality. and of an evil Nature, the neceſſary Conſequence whereof renders all that keep not that preciſe Seventh-day as the Sabbath (nor can be convinced 'tis their Duty to obſerve it) to be guilty of Immorality, i. e. in breaking a moral Precept in the very Letter of it, nay one of the Precepts of the firſt Table? For it muſt be thus, if the morality of the fourth Commandment lies in the obſervation of the preciſe Seventh-day Sabbath; and it muſt be as great an Evil to violate it, as 'tis to have another God, or to bow down to a graven Image, or to ſwear or profane the holy Name of God, or commit actual Adultery, Murder, &c. and thus their Doctrin renders all true Chriſtians to be guilty of a moſt groſs Immorality, who do not obſerve the preciſe Seventh-day.
Nay, the like Conſequences attend their Notion, who through ignorance and an over-heated Zeal, have alſo aſſerted the ſame Morality to conſiſt in the obſervance of the firſt Day of the Week; as is evident by what ſome Miniſters in their Pariſh-Churches did formerly affirm: One in Oxfordſhire ſaid, That to do any ſervile Work on the Lord's Day, is as great a Sin as to kill a Man.
Another in a Sermon in Norfolk,See Dr. White on the Sab. ſaid, To make a Feaſt or Wedding-dinner on the Lord's Day, is as great a Sin, as for a Father to take a Knife and cut his own Child's Throat.
A Sabbatarian alſo, I am told, did lately ſay, (having a Child to put out an Apprentice) he knew not any that kept the Sabbath whoſe Trade he liked; and to place him with one that would cauſe him to work on that Day, was as bad as Adultery or Theft, or to that effect.
Another lately told us, that we in not keeping the Sabbath, or fourth Command, broke all the reſt; or words to the ſame purpoſe.
8. And from hence alſo, which is the plain and neceſſary Conſequence of their Principle, either ſuch muſt periſh who live and die in a palpable violation of this pretended ſimple moral Precept without any ſorrow or repentance; or elſe that Men may be ſaved, who live and die under the guilt of immoral Evil in the groſſeſt ſenſe.
For tho it is granted that a true Chriſtian may be guilty in ſome ſenſe of an Immoral Evil, and who is not? yet if a moral Precept be broke in the Letter of it, or in the groſſeſt ſenſe, as he that commits actual Adultery or Murder; can ſuch be ſaved, living and dying in thoſe Sins, without any true ſight of the Evil of them, or Repentance for them? nay, that do not only live in the literal breach of this moral Precept (as they call it) but teach men ſo to do?
Object. But they do it ignorantly.
Anſw. Ignorance of any Human Law, tho the breach of it be death, will not excuſe any Man, becauſe the Law is publiſhed, or they may know it. So ignorance cannot excuſe a man that breaks any Precept of the Moral Law of God.
9. This Notion and Principle of theirs ſeems not only to admit of ſuch Conſequences naturally to attend it; but they indeed expreſs themſelves very directly on this occaſion, even to ſhut out of the Kingdom of Heaven all that keep not the Seventh-day Sabbath, or at leaſt ſuch who teach men to break it.
See what Mr. Soarsby ſaith,New Teſtament Sab. p. 54, 55. viz. The Decalogue in the New Teſtament—is abundantly confirmed by many places in the Goſpel, which eſtabliſh the Authority of the Law, and Commandments of God to Chriſtians, both Jews and Gentiles: Our Lord came not to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfil it.
Some men, ſaith he, affirm, contrary to both, They who teach and do theſe Commandments, ſhall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven; but ſuch as break the leaſt, and teach men ſo to do, ſhall be leaſt in it (that is, have no part in it); for unleſs Chriſtians keep them better than the Scribes, there is no entering into Heaven, Mat. 5. 20. The Summary of the two Tables, are the great Commandments on which hang all the Law and the Prophets. The doing of theſe, as written and read in the Law, is the way to Eternal Life, Luke 10. 26, 27. Again he ſaith, It is not the Hearer of the Law that ſhall be juſtified amongſt the Romans as well as the Jews, &c.
Two things note here:
1. He takes it for granted, that the preciſe Seventh-day Sabbath is one part of the Moral Law; and ſo his deſign is (as I conceive) to ſhew that ſuch as violate this Sabbath, and teach men ſo to do, have no part in Heaven.
2. He ſays, The doing of theſe is the way to Eternal Life, miſtaking the purport of our Saviour's words to the young Man, who ſpake to him as one under the Covenant of Works, to diſcover his Ignorance of the way to Heaven, which is by Chriſt alone, not by doing thoſe Commands as written and read in the Law; 'tis not do, but believe, &c.
Is not this Man ignorant of the way to Eternal Life; did our Lord come to ratify the Decalogue for us, to keep and fulfil in our own Perſons, thereby to be juſtified and ſaved? Here is not one word of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. No, no, but that Righteouſneſs that muſt exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes, is our own inherent Righteouſneſs only. True, we ſay a ſincere inherent Righteouſneſs we muſt have for a meetneſs for Eternal Life; but that is not our title to it, or the way to it, but the Righteouſneſs and Merits of Chriſt alone.
Doth he not eſtabliſh the Covenant of Works and Juſtification by the Law? What Popiſh Doctrin is worſe?
Alſo in a printed Paper given one Lord's Day at the Door*Of our Meeting-houſe. Pag. 1, 2. by ſome Sabbatarian, you have theſe words; Chriſt died to procure Grace to enable men to fulfil this Law, Rom. 8. 3. (not that 'tis fulfilled in us, that is in our head, i. e. by Chriſt in our Nature for us) but in us, that is, by us. O woful ſtuff!
Beſides, doth Chriſt help us to fulfil the whole Law perfectly? If ſo, 'tis by the Law thus fulfilled that we are juſtified; and then alſo 'tis not by the Obedience of one Man that we are made Righteous. Rom. 5.Do not theſe men,Rom. 10. 3. like the Jews, go about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs? Moreover, their Doctrin renders all that keep not, or violate their Sabbath, to be guilty of the breach of the whole Law, which they affirm this is one Point of (i. e. a ſimple moral Precept) and not the leaſt Command neither I fear with theſe men.
Now, my Brethren, how are theſe young Men and others blinded, who out of miſtaken Zeal ſtrive to bring in a Jewiſh Rite, or the obſervation of the old Legal Sabbath; in promoting of which Error they diſperſe ſuch pernicious Books and Pamphlets as tend directly to eſtabliſh the Covenant of Works, to the utter deſtroying the Doctrin of the Goſpel, and the free Grace of God in our Juſtification by the Obedience of Chriſt alone, and to the palpable hazard and perdition of their own and other Peoples Souls. Theſe Perſons ſeek to ſacrifice all that is truly valuable, to the blind obſervation of a Day that obliges them to keep the whole Law.
10. That the natural Conſequence of their Principle and Practice,P. 405, 406. Their Principle tends to harden the Jews. as Reverend Dr. Owen ſhews, tends to the great ſcandal of the Chriſtian Religion, and to the hardening of the Jews in their Infidelity, is apparent to all: For the Introduction of any part of the old Moſaical Syſtem of Ordinances, is a tacit denial of Chriſt's being come in the Fleſh, at leaſt of his being King and Law-giver to his Church. And to lay the Foundation of all religious ſolemn Worſhip in the obſervation of a Day, as the Seventh-day preciſely had no relation to any natural or moral Precept, nor was inſtituted or approved by Jeſus Chriſt, cannot but be unpleaſing to them who deſire to have their Conſciences immediately influenced by his Authority in all their approaches unto God. But Chriſt herein is ſuppoſed to have built the whole Fabrick of his Worſhip on the Foundation of Moſes, and to have grafted all his Inſtitutions into a Stock that was not of his own planting.
11. Moreover, it is evident that the Conſequence of their Opinion concerning the neceſſary obſervation of the Seventh-day Sabbath, as the Doctor ſaith,It tends to Schiſm. tends to the increaſing and perpetuating of Schiſms and Differences among Chriſtians. And thoſe are the worſt, ſaith he, and moſt pernicious, which occaſion or draw after them any thing whereby men are hindred from joining together in the ſame publick ſolemn Worſhip, whereby they yield unto God that reverence of his Glory— But now upon a ſuppoſition of an adherence by any unto the Seventh-day Sabbath, all Communion among Profeſſors in ſolemn Goſpel-Ordinances is rendered impoſſible: For if thoſe of that Perſwaſion do expect that others will be brought unto a relinquiſhment of an Evangelical obſervance of the Lord's Day Sabbath, they will find themſelves miſtaken. The evidence which they have of its appointment, and the experience they have had of God's preſence in its religious obſervation, will ſecure their practice in this matter, &c. The Seventh-day Sabbath men on the other hand, ſuppoſing themſelves obliged to meet for ſolemn Worſhip on the Seventh-day (which the other account unwarrantable for them to do on the pretence of any binding Law to that purpoſe) and eſteeming it unlawful (ſaith he) to aſſemble religiouſly with others on the Firſt-day, on the plea of Evangelical Warranty, do abſolutely cut off themſelves from all poſſibility of Communion in the adminiſtration of Goſpel-Ordinances with any other Churches of Chriſt. And whereas moſt other breaches as to Communion are in their nature capable of healing, without a renunciation of thoſe Principles in the minds of men, which ſeem to give countenance to them; the diſtance is here made abſolutely irreparable, while the Opinion maintained is owned by any. I will preſs this, ſaith he, no further, but only by affirming that Perſons truly fearing the Lord, ought to be very careful and jealous over their own Underſtanding, before they embrace an Opinion and Practice which will ſhut them from all viſible Communion with the generality of the Saints of God in the World.
To which let me add, How can they have Communion with us, if they conſider and obſerve the Conſequences of their Principle? Are not we guilty of abſolute Immorality, i. e. the literal breach of one Precept of the firſt Table? Can they, or we have Communion with ſuch as bow down to a graven Image, or profane the holy Name of God, or are guilty of Murder, &c.?
And thus you may ſee what the natural and genuine Conſequences of this Principle are, and that it not only tends to lay the Generation of the Righteous under the guilt of the breach of a moral Precept, and renders them guilty in their ſenſe of the breach of the whole Law, but hath other bad Conſequents attending it alſo.
And this may tend to convince all (that conſider of what I ſay) that the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth not conſiſt in that preciſe Seventh-day Sabbath, and diſcovers how blind theſe Men are.
Brethren, tho I believe many who keep this Day, and affirm it is a moral Precept, are very pious and good Chriſtians,Some of them are for free Grace, &c. and do not affirm what I ſay, nor may be ſee it not to be ſo, or will not ſay thus: What then? yet I will appeal to all thinking impartial Perſons, whether I do not infer the direct natural Conſequence of their Principle.
Moreover, let me ask here this Queſtion, how it can ſtand conſiſtent with a good Conſcience for a Miniſter to forbear preaching in any Congregation ſome part of Morality, or a moral Precept. I grant that Love, Wiſdom, Charity, Peace, &c. may prevent ſome Men from preaching ſome Duties of mere poſitive right, for a ſhort time at leaſt, that are diſputable, and not Eſſentials of Salvation. But what are ſuch things to a ſimple moral Precept, both materially and formally one of the Ten Commandments, as they affirm their Sabbath is?
Suppoſe a Miniſter preaches to a Congregation that he knows are generally guilty of worſhipping a Graven Image, or of profane Swearing, or of Adultery, or of killing their innocent Neighbours; would not he preach againſt theſe horrid Evils, for fear he ſhould offend the Congregation? or if he forbear ſo to do, would he not be ſhamefully guilty of great Sin, and of their Blood alſo? Happy is the Man that condemns not himſelf in the thing he allows.
I know what ſome have ſaid about Polygamy: if they anſwer me, let them uſe that Argument; I am prepared to reply.
But let none think I ſpeak thus to expoſe any of them out of Prejudice; for I can appeal to Almighty God I have none againſt any of their Perſons: But it is to expoſe their Principle and Practice, in love to their Souls, and to the Souls of other Perſons.
But before I conclude with this old Sabbath, I muſt add one dangerous Conſequence more of their Principle.
12. Is not that a dangerous Error that reflects, nay caſts Contempt upon the Holy Ghoſt, in reſpect of his Work and Office, which is to convince Believers of all Sin, eſpecially of all immoral Evils, under his moſt clear and glorious Miniſtration, ſince our Saviour's Aſcenſion into Heaven?
Now I ask our Opponents, Whether the holy Spirit doth convince all Believers that they ought to keep the old Seventh-day Sabbath, or reprove them for Immorality in the non-obſervance thereof?
Sirs, as theſe things aggravate their Evil in what they affirm, ſo it clearly tends to overthrow the pretended Morality of that preciſe Seventh-day Sabbath: for the holy Spirit never convinces Believers of any ſuch Duty, nor reproves them for working on that day, or for bearing of Burdens on it, any more than on any other day in the week, to their dying day. But it lets them ſilently fall aſleep, without the leaſt ſenſe of any ſuch pretended immoral Evil.
Beſides, the generality of Believers after their utmoſt inquiry, ſearch, and ſeeking to God in all ſincerity, cannot be convinc'd it is their Duty to keep this Day.
Would the Holy Ghoſt thus leave the Generation of the Godly under Sin, and ſuch Ignorance (think you) were this a moral Duty? And as to ſuch as do obſerve it, I am ſatiſfied the Spirit of God never taught them ſo to do. But they in this are left to themſelves, and have a Zeal, but not according to knowledg, which God in time I hope by his Spirit will convince them of.
Queſt. If it be thus, what think you of them that obſerve this Sabbath?
Anſw. As to ſuch gracious Chriſtians who obſerve it out of Conſcience, and becauſe 'tis put into the fourth Commandment, do think it may be their Duty ſo to do, but attempt not to affirm it is a moral Duty; nor dare they neglect to obſerve the firſt Day, provided they are in a Capacity (being not Servants) to obſerve both Days, and make no noiſe nor diſturbance about it, but keep it to themſelves: I think it may be (as to them) a harmleſs Error.
And as to others, I muſt leave them to the Lord, and judg them not, tho I judg and muſt condemn their Principle. And let them take heed how they judg us in reſpect of the non-obſervation of a Jewiſh Rite, &c. or of Jewiſh Sabbath-days.