IF thou think this Treatise both superfluous and Defective, when so many larger have better done the work already, I shall not at all gainsay the latter, nor much the former. The reason of my writing it was the necessity and request of some very upright Godly persons, who are lately fallen into doubt or Error, in point of the Sabbath day, conceiving that because the fourth Commandment was Written in Stone, ⟨image 3⟩it is wholly unchangeable, and consequently the seventh day Sabbath in force, and that the Lords day is not a Day separated by God to holy Worship. I knew that there was enough written on this Subject long ago; But, 1. Much of it is in Latin; 2. Some Writings which prove the abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath, do withal treat so loosely of the Lords day, as that they require a Confutation in the latter as well as a commendation for the former. 3. Some are so large that the persons that I write for will hardly be brought to read them. 4. Most go upon those grounds, which I take to be less clear; and build so much more than I can do on the fourth Commandment and on many passages of the old Testament, and plead so much for the old Sabbatical notion and rest, that I fear this is the chief occasion of ⟨image 3⟩many peoples Errors; who when they find themselves in a wood of difficulties, and nothing plain and convincing that is pleaded with them, do therefore think it safest to stick to the old Jewish Sabbath The friends and acquaintance of some of these persons importuning me, to take the plainest and nearest way to satisfy such honest doubters, I have here done it according to my judgement: not contending against any that go another way to work, but thinking my self that this is very clear and satisfactory; viz. to prove, 1. That Christ did Commission his Apostles to Teach us all things which he commanded, and to settle Orders in his Church, 2. And that he gave them his spirit to enable them to do all this Infallibly, by bringing all his words to their remembrance, and by leading them into all truth. 3. And that his Apostles ⟨image 4⟩by this spirit did de facto separate the Lords day, for holy Worship, especially in Church-Assemblies, and declared the cessation of the Jewish Sabbaths. 4.
IF thou think this Treatise both superfluous and Defective, when so many larger have better done the work already, I shall not at all gainsay the latter, nor much the former. The reason of my writing it was the necessity and request of some very upright Godly persons, who are lately faln into doubt or Errour, in point of the Sabbath day, conceiving that because the fourth Commandment was Written in Stone, ⟨image 3⟩it is wholly unchangeable, and consequently the seventh day Sabbath in force, and that the Lords day is not a Day separated by God to holy Worship. I knew that there was enough written on this Subject long agoe; But, 1. Much of it is in Latine; 2. Some Writings which prove the abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath, do withal treat so loosly of the Lords day, as that they require a Confutation in the latter as well as a commendation for the former. 3. Some are so large that the persons that I write for will hardly be brought to read them. 4. Most go upon those grounds, which I take to be less clear; and build so much more than I can do on the fourth Commandment and on many passages of the old Testament, and plead so much for the old Sabbatical notion and rest, that I fear this is the chief occasion of ⟨image 3⟩many peoples Errours; who when they find themselves in a wood of difficulties, and nothing plain and convincing that is pleaded with them, do therefore think it safest to stick to the old Jewish Sabbath The friends and acquaintance of some of these persons importuning me, to take the plainest and nearest way to satisfie such honest doubters, I have here done it according to my judgement: not contending against any that go another way to work, but thinking my self that this is very clear and satisfactory; viz. to prove, 1. That Christ did Commission his Apostles to Teach us all things which he commanded, and to settle Orders in his Church, 2. And that he gave them his spirit to enable them to do all this Infallibly, by bringing all his words to their remembrance, and by leading them into all truth. 3. And that his Apostles ⟨image 4⟩by this spirit did de facto separate the Lords day, for holy Worship, especially in Church-Assemblies, and declared the cessation of the Jewish Sabbaths. 4.
