A63997:185
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.
Secondly, He professeth the change of the day cannot be attempted without the greatest scandal of the Church, p. 169. Now what sober Christian would affect liberty to be scandalous? 3. others who acknowledge the observation of the day by Apostolical institution, and withal to be changeable and left to the liberty of the Church, do withal maintain that the Apostles did not command it as extraordinary Ministers of Christ: but Doctor Waleus p. 172. acknowledgeth the institution of it made by the Apostles as Ministers extraordinary. 4. the Doctor professeth ⟨p. 114⟩that the Apostles were entrusted by the Holy Ghost to give precepts concerning the good government of the Church, and that in this particular case, to make known to all Christians every where what day in the week ought to be kept holy, and that by virtue and analogy of the fourth Commandment, and withal to prevent dissension and confusion amongst the Churches thereabouts. 5. and lastly he joins the precepts concerning this with precepts concerning faith, and manners; and this he doth without specifying any the least difference; nay, the word precepts is once proposed as subservient indifferently as to faith, and manners, so also to the well ordering of the Church, and that in this particular, of notifying unto all what day of the week is it to be sanctified to Gods Service. As for the places Rom. 14. Gal. 2. & Coloss. 2. I answer, that if we made the observation of the day as it denotes a circumstance of time, any part of Gods Service, or for some mysterious signification contained therein, then indeed we should carry our selves in contradiction to the places mentioned: but seeing we observe times only out of respect to order and policy, which is necessary for the edification of the Church; and God having always required one day in seven to be set apart for this, even when there was not so great need, nor had God manifested his love to mankind in such sort as in these latter days; and of our selves we are to seek, of the particularity of the day under a fit proportion of time from the beginning of the World required, and hereupon were we left to our own judgements, a way would be opened to miserable dissension and confusion;