A63997:149
The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians…
The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians of our age: wherein is showed that the morality of the fourth Commandment is still in force to bind Christians unto the sanctification of the Sabbath day. Written by that learned assertor of the truth, William Twice D.D. late prolocutor to the Assembly of Divines.The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians of our age: wherein is shewed that the morality of the fourth Commandement is still in force to bind Christians unto the sanctification of the Sabbath day. Written by that learned assertor of the truth, William Twisse D.D. late prolocutor to the Assembly of Divines.
London: printed for Thomas Pierrepont, 1652
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Neither is it to be thought, that there is any certain time or definite number of days prescribed in holy Scriptures, but that the appointment both of the time, and also of the number of the days is left by the authority of Gods Word, to the authority of Christs Church, to be determined and assigned orderly in every Country, by the discretion of the rulers and Ministers thereof, as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of Gods glory, and edification of Gods People. Which preamble is not to be understood of holy days or of Saints days only, (whose being left to the authority of the Church was never questioned) but of the Lords Day also: as by the body of the Act doth at full appear.
Neither is it to bee thought, that there is any certaine time or definite number of dayes prescribed in holy Scriptures, but that the appointment both of the time, and also of the number of the dayes is left by the authority of Gods Word, to the authority of Christs Church, to bee determined and assigned orderly in every Country, by the discretion of the rulers and Ministers thereof, as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of Gods glory, and edification of Gods People. Which preamble is not to be understood of holy dayes or of Saints dayes onely, (whose being left to the authority of the Church was never questioned) but of the Lords Day also: as by the body of the Act doth at full appeare.
1In this Section, the Prefacer makes a greater bluster by far then in the former. For to except against the proportion of time, as of one day in seven to be set apart for the service of God in these days of the Gospel, is so unreasonable a course, and that not only in the judgement of a Christian conscience, but even in the judgement of a natural man, that I cannot easily devise any thing more unreasonable. For whereas all confess that by the very light of nature some time ought to be set apart for the service of God; and not so only, but that a fit, and competent proportion of time is to be consecrated to holy uses, as Gomarus acknowledgeth, though one of the most eager opposers of the morality of the Sabbath, that hitherto have been known. Albeit this convenient proportion of time cannot be so convincingly concluded upon by the light of nature, as to draw all to an unanimous consent thereunto; yet after God himself hath gone before us herein by blessing the seventh day and sanctifying […]; and that upon the ground mentioned both