The Lords Day Vindicated, Title page – Preface
The Lords day Vinaicated: OR The Firſt day of the WEEK THE Chriſtian Sabbath. In Anſwer to Mr. Bampfields Plea for the Seventh day, in his Enquiry, Whether Jeſus Chriſt be Jehovah, and gave the Moral Law? And whether the Fourth Command be Repealed or Altered? BY G. T. a Well-wiſher to Truth and Concord.
Prov. 18.17.
He that is firſt in his own Cauſe ſeemeth juſt, but his Neighbour cometh and ſearcheth him.
LONDON: Printed for Samuel Clement, at the White Swan in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1692.
TO THE READER.
THo' there be many Books already written on this Subject, the following Preface will juſtify the Seaſonableneſs of this Modeſt and Judicious Reply to Mr. B. eſpecially among ſerious Profeſſors in the Weſt of England. But it cannot be unfit upon other Conſiderations, that ſuch a Diſcourſe be now Publiſh'd, when the Doctrinal Truth, in the Controverſie of a Weekly Sabbath, is oppoſed by ſo many, and the Practical Sanctification of it neglected by ſo many more.
It has been generally obſerved, that the Power of Godlineſs hath Flouriſhed or Abated in every Age, and in every part of Chriſtendom; as the ſtrict and conſciencious Obſervation of a Weekly-Day of Holy Reſt did obtain, or not: And particularly in our own Country, no outward Means can be aſſigned, that hath more availed to help the Preſervation of Pure, Reformed, Chriſtianity among us.
On which account, it concerns all Chriſtians to enquire what is our Warrant for the Obſervation of One day in Seven? and likewiſe whether the Seventh, or the Firſt day of the Week, (which according to a true Account, may alſo be called the Seventh) ought to be obſerved as the Chriſtian Sabbath.
What is ſaid on this Argument in the following Reply to Mr. B. diſcovers ſo much the Candor and Moderation of the Author, as will recommend it to every Impartial Reader. His Diſtance from London, and nothing elſe occaſions, or needs this Epiſtle; as will doubtleſs be thought, even by ſuch as have ſome different Conceptions from him, in ſome leſſer Matters of this Controverſie.
That it may advance the Honour of Chriſt, and help to ſatisfy the Minds of ſome Wavering, and leſs Eſtabliſhed Chriſtians, and promote the real Intereſt of Practical Godlineſs; (upon which the Doctrin of the Weekly Sabbath will have a great Influence,) as it will anſwer the Authors Deſign, ſo our Deſires and Prayers,
John Howe. John Shower.
The PREFACE.
IT may afford cauſe of Wonder to conſidering and ſerious Perſons what ſhould be the Inducements of the Author of the Enquiry whether the Lord Jeſus &c. to Print and divulge it at ſuch a time, and under ſuch circumſtances, as we are brought into: And though he hath propoſed no Preface to his Book, to plead for it's Emiſſion; yet I think there has ſcarce been a Piece ſent into the World, theſe many Years, that more required and needed it. For,
1. He well knows that the whole Chriſtian World is engaged againſt him herein, and that they have Sciptural grounds, and the practice of the moſt ancient Churches, the Doctrin and Teſtimonies of the muſt Orthodox and Learned Fathers, derived immediately from the Apoſtles, with an uninterrupted Succeſſion through ſeveral Centuries; and their own Education, Cuſtom and Practice, received down from many Generations, with their own bleſſed Experiences of the Light of Gods countenance; the operations of his Spirit, the activity and growth of their own Graces on that bleſſed Day, &c. for their conſecrating of the firſt day of the Week to Divine Service and their Religious and Devout appropriating it to, and imploying it in thoſe Duties, which immediately concern the Glory of God, and the Spiritual and Eternal Weal of their own Souls: Which things are not eaſily overcome and laid aſide; with as great and Rooted Prejudices againſt his opinion, of the Seventh-day-Sabbath; as that 'tis Judaical, Fanciful, and Singular, ſuch at leaſt as has had but very few Favourers and Abetters either in the ancient Churches, (and theſe branded for Hereſie) or elſe in the modern, ſome three or four ſtarting up of late years among our ſelves, daring by Writing and Printing to endeavour the Introduction of this Novelty into the belief and practice of Ʋniverſal Church. All which, and other Prejudices againſt this Opinion cannot ſlightly be eradicated out of the minds of Men; and therefore he could hardly imagin any great ſucceſs to this undertaking, unleſs he could have produced undeniable demonſtrations to our Reaſon, or irrefragable Teſtimonies of Scripture to our Faith: Which I hope we ſhall ſee he has been far enough from.
2. He ſhould alſo have conſidered, and concluded, that theſe Arguments which have been produced heretofore by thoſe of his perſwaſion, are not likely now to convince and convert the whole Chriſtian World to his thoughts and practice: Seeing they have been ſo often, and by ſo many worthy, Learned, Orthodox, and Pious Divines, anſwered, and in the judgment of Wiſe and gracious Perſons, fully confuted, and ſatisfactorily baffled, to the deeper Rooting and more firm Eſtabliſhment of the Churches of Chriſt in their conſtant Obſervance of the Lords day. Wherefore, if he would have effected any thing by this attempt, he ſhould have offered ſome new Inventions of his own, that have never yet encountered with any oppoſition: But in all his Book (to the beſt of my Remembrance) I have not met with any one place of Scripture, nor argument drawn therefrom, nor Improvement thereof, for his own Sentiments: Nor yet any Text of Gods word, or Topick againſt ours, no, nor any one ſolution of our Authoritative or Rational proofs, for the confirmation of our Contrary Belief and Practice to his, which has not been already produced by others, and as largely and ſtrenuously managed as by himſelf; and that too in the ſame manner. 'Tis no great Prudence in a Combatant to make uſe of the ſame Weapons, Modes, and Arts, againſt his Antagoniſts which have been frequently Baffled, Defeated, Broken and retorted into his own Bowels. Wherefore, 'tis ſtrange to me, if any Victory over any conſiderate ſtudious Perſon, could be hoped for by ſuch a caſting of the Gantlet.
3. But ſuppoſe he could have expected to have proſelited ſome to his Opinion (as who has not, though the Doctrin be never ſo abſurd, Heterodox and Impious,) yet ſure it could not be thought a ſufficient means to prevail upon all the Churches; no, nor upon the univerſality of the National Church, of that Collection of ſo many millions of counterminded Chriſtians and Proteſtants, whereof he is. He could not certainly preſume, that all the Authority of theſe Nations, both Eccleſiaſtical and Civil, would follow his Dictates, or receive new Light from his Torch, and acknowledg themſelves to have been in groſs Error, and in a ſinful Practice ever ſince, and always before the Reformation, ſince they Profeſſed Faith in the Lord Chriſt: And that they ſhould alter all their Acts and Statutes, all their Canons and Articles, in this particular. And herein acknowledg him to be the infallible Apoſtle, or at leaſt the only happy Doctor, of this great part of the Chriſtian World, no nor of the greateſt, or any conſiderable part thereof; but only of a few, here and there of unſetled Scruplous, Superſtitious minds. No perſon could have a Rational and probable Proſpect of a greater Return from ſuch an Adventure, or Crop from ſuch a ſowing: And ſo wiſely have judged, that all his expectations would never quit his coſt, nor be worth his Risk. Eſpecially conſidering that,
4. He ſhould deeply have weighed the ſad and ſinful Conſequences and ſcandalous Effects that his appearance in Print has a direct tendency to produce. (Though I truſt ſuch a tendency will be obſtructed, and fruſtrated, by the good Spirit of God, and by the Wiſe and ſetled Principles of our people.) The Natural Tendencies are ſuch as theſe,
1. An encouragement to the Profaners and deniers of the Lords-Day in their Principles and Practices. They who have no Inclination to ſeparate any Day as Holy, to the Holy God, in a performance of Holy Duties, will take advantages from hence, to decry the ſtrict obſervance of the Lords-day, and to fortifie themſelves in their Idleneſs, Recreations, Worldlineſs, and ſinfulneſs thereon; and withall ſlight and deride the Seventh-day-Sabbath, as Judaical, Fanatical, and Singular, and ſo being taken off from the Firſt-day-Sabbath, they will acknowledg none; but give that, and all the following days of the Week to their Intereſts, and to their Luſts; to Earth and to Hell: And we have heard that this Book has already produced this fearful effect in our City.
2. An Offence and Stumbling-Block to ſincere and affectionate Saints; who have their Hearts eſtabliſhed in Grace, and their Heads in the grand Fundamentals of Faith and Practice; but are not acquainted with diſputations about ſuch remote things as theſe; and therefore having very tender Conſciences and dreading to offend God, and to approach unto any moral evil, hearing of ſuch a piece as this, from ſuch an Author, (ſo known to ſome of them) will be apt to be ſtartled, and exceſſively troubled with Fear, leſt they have hitherto lived in Sin, and provoked God all their days, by a Holy reſting upon the Lords day, and Working upon Saturday; and ſo all their Services of God upon the one, in the works of their General, and the ſervices of themſelves, their Families, and the humane Society (of which they are Members) upon the other, in the works of their particular Callings; have been provocations, and evils to be Repented of, (for we know what Aggravations ſcrupulous Conſciences, and a tempting Devil, are apt to make of ſmalleſt things) and to live in perpetual fears and doubts, in their continuance in attendance upon Gods Ordinances on thoſe days, whereon they are only to be had (in the moſt ſolemn manner, and all of them at leaſt) in the profeſſing Church of God: And ſo they will be deprived of much of that Spiritual Comfort, and ſaving profit thereby, which they formely received in, and by them: And ſtill would, had not ſuch an unhappy Scandal been laid in their way: Which is no ſmall Offence and Sin againſt Chriſt. And this alſo we know to be another product thereof, ſuch Chriſtians not daring to neglect the obſervance and Ordinances of the Lords-day becauſe of their former Perſwaſion, Practice, and Experience, and yet doing it with doubts and fears, leſt they ſhould Sin thereby, becauſe of this Piece.
2. A perverting and withdrawing of the more ſimple and unſtable into this Opinion, which we doubt not to aſſert, and queſtion not to evidence, to be ill grounded and falſe; and ſo will prove a ſcandal indeed, even to lead into and to build up in Sin, and an unwarrantable Practice: And thus to Offend weak ones in Chriſt is a very great Evil, 1 Cor. 8.11, 12. But ſuppoſe the Authors notion be Orthodox, and the contrary Heterodox; yet another pernicious Tendencie of it is,
4. By a Proſelyting of ſome Perſons, or ſome Miniſters, ſo many as may make Aſſemblies and Congregations, he will be the Author of a needleſs Schiſm and Separation, and of inevitable Feuds, Rancors and mutual Reproaches and Condemnations: The Obſervers of the Lords day will decry and exclaim againſt the others, as Jews, and proud Schiſmaticks; and the keepers of the Seventh day will cenſure and condemn the other, as willful breakers of Gods expreſs Command, and profane compliers with the will and Traditions of Men. And he that has not the Gift of Propheſie, may eaſily foretel what ſinful and diſmall fruits will grow upon ſuch a Root of Bitterneſs. Men ſhould be cautious how they diſturb the peace of the Church, and rent our Saviours ſeamleſs Garment.
5. He ſhould ſeriouſly have pondered the Days and Times we are faln into; the ſad and deplorable Diviſions of the Church of God among us, and the dangerous and fearful Prejudices, Rancours, and Enmities begotten and fomented thereby; with the uncharitable and inexcuſable Effects they have produced already in Tongue, Pen and Hand, as the general Diviſion between Conformiſts and Non-Conformiſts: and the divers Opinions, Parties, and Separated Societies of the Latter. (Though bleſſed be God, the moſt conſiderable and Orthodox of them, the Independents and Preſbyterians, have coaleſced in their Subſcriptions to Articles of Agreement) and how unſeaſonable and inconvenient 'tis therefore to broach new Opinions among them, and to increaſe their Diviſions and Animoſities; and ſo alſo give an Advantange to their obſervers to encreaſe their prejudices, and augment their Accuſations againſt them, and their Inſultings over them, as fickle, inconſtant, and heady, not knowing where to fix, nor what to hold and Practiſe, now that they have forſaken an univerſal and uninterrupted Conformity unto them. Such a ſtout Non-Conformiſt to the Church of England, ought to have uſed all caution, not to have given the leaſt occaſion of weakning or vilifying his own Party.
6 Lastly, All theſe things laid together in the Ballance of a ſound Judgment, would have informed him, that no ſuch thing as he hath hereby attempted, ſhould have been undertaken, unleſs it had been about the moſt weighty and neceſſary Truths of our Religion; ſuch as do neceſſarily concern the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls, or very near bordering thereupon. Which I hope he does not beleive the Controverſie to be; ſeeing 'tis not not about the Subſtance of Duty or the very heart of a Command, but only about the leaſt Circumſtance (if I may ſo term it) of it. Not about what Proportion of time God ſhall have Conſecrated to his ſervice; For that is agreed to be the Seventh; But only what day, of two of them muſt be that day of the Week? And therefore he that obſerves the Firſt-day, gives and devotes to God the Seventh part of his time, as well and as much as he that does the Seventh-day.
Wherefore though the Authors Integrity and Intent may not be queſtioned, yet certainly his Prudence in this Work, and the Work under ſuch Circumſtances, are no way plauſible: And he ſhould have applied that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 14.21, 22. to have deter'd him there-from.
Wherefore ſeeing this Piece is ſo dangerous, and may do, and already has done, ſo much hurt, its very Expedient, if not morally Neceſſary, to endeavour a prevention of its evil Conſequences; and there eſpecially where the Author is reſident, and it may moſt infect; and it may well be deemed a Duty of ſome one of the Dreſſers of that part of the Vineyard of the Lord Chriſt, where this Weed or Thorn is ſprung up, to endeavour it's eradication, before it ſpreads any farther, or wounds any deeper.
That Province therefore which I (moſt unable for, and Naturally altogether averſe from, Polemical Diſputes) ſhall undertake, and with the beſt skill and faithfulneſs, that God ſhall afford, perform, ſhall only be, with all poſſible Brevity and Perſpicuity, to weaken all the Arguments, the Author manages for his Notion; and to confirm and Ratifie all theſe which he endeavours to weaken, and evacuate, for the ancient, general, Scriptural Doctrin of the Lords-day-Sabbath, or Sacred Reſt; and herein to follow his own method; Giving ſome tranſient Glances upon things that may occur, ſome what Excentrical or Alien from the Great deſign of this Book: Which I ſhall ſtudy to do with all Candor, and due Deference to the Gentility, Gravity, and (I hope) real Piety, of the Author.