Theses Sabbaticæ, or, The doctrine of the Sabbath wherein the Sabbaths I. Morality, II.…

But while I am thus musing, me thinks no measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present state of times, that when the Lord Jesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversy of Zion, there should rise up other Instruments of spiritual wickednesses in high places, to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this Day from off the face of the earth; the enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much malignant time-servers, and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally biassed to knock at the Sabbath; but those who have eaten bread with Christ, (a generation of professing people) do lift up their heel against his Sabbath: so that what could not formerly be done against it by Angels of darkness the old Serpent takes another course to effect it by seeming Angels of light; who by a new device are raised up to build the sepulchres of those who persecuted the Prophets in former times, & to justify all the books of sports, & the reading of them yea all the former & present profanations, yea scoffs & scorns against the Sabbath day. For as in former times they have Ceremonialized it out of the Decalogue, yet by humane constitution have retained it in the Church; so these of later times have spiritualized it out of the Decalogue, yea out of ⟨image 8⟩of all the Churches in the world. For by making the Christian Sabbath to be only a spiritual Sabbath in the bosom of God out of Heb. 4. they hereby abolish a seventh days Sabbath, and make every day equally a Sabbath to a Christian man. This I hope will be the last, but it is the most specious and fairest colour and banner that ever was erected to fight under against the Christian Sabbath; and is most fit to deceive not only some sudden men of loose and wanton wits, but especially men of spiritual, but too shallow minds. In times of Light (as these are reputed to be) Satan comes not abroad usually to deceive with fleshly and gross forgeries, and his cloven foot, (for every one almost would then discern his haltings) but with more mystical, yet strong delusions, and invisible chains of darkness, whereby he binds his captives the faster to the judgment of the great day. And therefore the watchword given in the bright and shining times of the Apostle, was, to Try the Spirits; and, Believe not every Spirit;

But while I am thus musing, me thinks no measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present state of times, that when the Lord Iesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversie of Sion, there should rise up other Instruments of spiritual wickednesses in high places, to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this Day from off the face of the earth; the enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much malignant time-servers, and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally byassed to knock at the Sabbath; but those who have eaten bread with Christ, (a generation of professing people) do lift up their heel against his Sabbath: so that what could not formerly be done against it by Angels of darknes the old Serpent takes another course to effect it by seeming Angels of light; who by a new device are raised up to build the sepulchres of those who persecuted the Prophets in former times, & to justifie all the books of sports, & the reading of them yea all the former & present profanations, yea scoffs & scorns against the Sabbath day. For as in former times they have Ceremonialized it out of the Decalogue, yet by humane constitutiō have retained it in the Church; so these of later times have spritualized it out of the Decalogue, ye out of