26 Against them that say the Sabbath is ceremonial, we must first mark, that the Prophets are continual urgers of the moral law, as for the ceremonies, when they came to1 them, they pass them over, saying, that God hath no pleasure in them, as Isaiah 2. and 66. and among the rest, nothing is more namely, and precisely urged than the Sabbath, therefore it is no ceremony. Again, grant it to be ceremonial, and ye shall make God a confounder2 of the Law and Gospel, a mingler of the ceremonial law with the moral; and admitting one ceremony in the Decalogue, why may there not be two or three or moe? Concerning this mixture, many heresies hereby have crept into the Church: and it cannot be avoided, if we make the fourth Commandment ceremonial. We know that when Saul was among the Prophets, 1. Sam. 19. it was a common saying, Is Saul among the Prophets? as if it were no good order, but the Prophets should be among themselves, and Saul with3 his companions. A third reason may be, that Christ in the Gospel delivereth a sum of the whole law, Love God above all, and thy neighbour as thy self. But this sum of the law is merely moral, therefore the law, whereof this is a sum, is merely moral, except we will accuse Christ for giving us a moral sum of a ceremonial thing. Besides, the Commandments4 were but a renewing of the law of nature, for it was written in the breast of Adam by the finger of God. Now there became a declining from this law of nature, by the negligence of them that should have taught it to their children. Therefore would the Lord have it written once for all. But in the law of nature there is no ceremony, for it is the image of God, and whatsoever is in God, it is altogether holy and for ever, and ceremonies are holy but for a time: therefore in the image of God, in the Decalogue, there is no ceremony, and consequently the Sabbath is not ceremonial. A fifth reason is this: they that affirm the Sabbath to be a Ceremony, must either say that the Ceremony is in the5 word Sanctify, or in the word Sabbath: for this is the Commandment, Sanctify the Sabbath: as for Remember, it is but a proviso, and no part of the Commandment, but the force of the Commandment stands in the word Sanctify, and it is a Verb transitive, and therefore cannot be without an Accusative case, as Day or Sabbath, and in sanctifying is no ceremony:6
26 Against them that say the Sabbath is ceremonial, we must first marke, that the Prophets are continuall vrgers of the morall lawe, as for the ceremonies, when they came to1 them, they passe them ouer, saying, that God hath no pleasure in them, as Esay 2. and 66. and among the rest, nothing is more namely, and precisely vrged than the Sabbath, therefore it is no ceremonie. Againe, grant it to be ceremoniall, and yee shall make God a confounder2 of the Law and Gospell, a mingler of the ceremoniall law with the morall; and admitting one ceremonie in the Decalogue, why may there not be two or three or moe? Concerning this mixture, many heresies hereby haue crept into the Church: and it cannot be auoided, if we make the fourth Commandement ceremoniall. We know that whē Saul was among the Prophets, 1. Sam. 19. it was a common saying, Is Saul among the Prophets? as if it were no good order, but the Prophets should be among themselues, and Saul with3 his companions. A third reason may be, that Christ in the Gospell deliuereth a summe of the whole law, Loue God aboue all, and thy neighbour as thy selfe. But this summe of the law is meerely morall, therefore the lawe, whereof this is a summe, is meerely morall, except wee will accuse Christ for giuing vs a morall summe of a ceremoniall thing. Besides, the Commandements4 were but a renuing of the law of nature, for it was written in the brest of Adam by the finger of God. Now there became a declining from this lawe of nature, by the negligence of them that should haue taught it to their children. Therfore would the Lord haue it written once for all. But in the lawe of nature there is no ceremonie, for it is the image of God, and whatsoeuer is in God, it is altogether holy and for euer, and ceremonies are holy but for a time: therefore in the image of God, in the Decalogue, there is no ceremonie, and consequenly the Sabbath is not ceremoniall. A fift reason is this: they that affirme the Sabbath to be a Ceremonie, must either say that the Ceremonie is in the5 word Sanctifie, or in the word Sabhath: for this is the Commandement, Sanctifie the Sabbath: as for Remember, it is but a prouiso, and no part of the Commandement, but the force of the Commandement stands in the word Sanctifie, and it is a Verbe transitiue, and therefore cannot be without an Accusatiue case, as Day or Sabbath, and in sanctifying is no ceremonie:
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- 6Diem, or Sabbathum.
