The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians…

Yet even in those primitive times the manners of Christians became degenerate, as Baldwin observes in his cases of conscience, p. 479. and that out of Tertullian, as whom he observes to have complained of it; namely that Christians imitated the manners of the Heathen in this, yea and grew worse then they, in his book de Idol. c. 14. O melior fides nationum in suam sectam, quae nullam Christianorum solennitatem sibi vendicat, non Dominicam, non Pentecostem; etiam si nossent nobiscum non communicassent, ne Christiani viderentur; nos ne Ethnici pronuntiemur, non veremur. O the faith of the Nations better then ours towards their own sect, as who challenge not to themselves any Christian solemnity, not that of the Lords Day, nor that of Whitsuntide. Had they known it, they would not communicate with us, lest they should seem Christians; we Christians fear not to be accounted Heathens. O what a zealot did Tertullian show himself in this! nay what think we of Leo and Anthemius Emperors; were not they zealots too in that decree of theirs (alleged by the former Baldwin)? Dies festos majestati Altissimi dedicatos nullis volumus voluptatibus occupari: undoubtedly they mean hereby worldly pleasures; such they would have no place on holy festivities; and why? but because they accounted those holy festivals profaned thereby. And may not King James also be censured for a zealot in making that proclamation of his for the reformation of abuses in profaning the Lords Day, at his first coming into the Land, to receive this Kingdom as his rightful inheritance? In the Conference before his Majesty at Hampton Court, I find mention made of it by D. Reynolds in this manner: To the former Doctor Reynolds did add the profanation of the Sabbath day, and contempt of his Majesties proclamation made for the reforming of that abuse, of ⟨p. 176⟩which he earnestly desired a straighter course for reformation thereof, and unto this he found a general and unanimous assent. All these be like were zealots. So was his Majesty also that now is, together with all the Lords both spiritual and temporal, and the house of Commons in that Act made in the first year of King Charles to preserve the Lords Day from profanation, wherein are forbidden expressly and by name, bearbaiting, bullbaiting, interludes, common plays, and in general all other unlawful exercises and pastimes;

Yet even in those primitive times the manners of Christians became degenerate, as Baldwin observes in his cases of conscience, p. 479. and that out of Tertullian, as whom hee observes to have complained of it; namely that Christans imitated the manners of the Heathen in this, yea and grew worse then they, in his booke de Idol. c. 14. O melior fides nationum in suam sectam, quae nullam Christianorum solennitatem sibi vendicat, non Dominicam, non Pentecostem; etiam si nossent nobiscum non communicassent, ne Christiani viderentur; nos ne Ethnici pronuntiemur, non veremur. O the fayth of the Nations better then ours towards their own sect, as who chalenge not to themselves any Christian solemnity, not that of the Lords Day, nor that of Whitsuntide. Had they known it, they would not communicate with us, lest they should seem Christians; we Christians feare not to be accompted Heathens. O what a zelote did Tertullian shew himselfe in this! nay what thinke wee of Leo and Anthemius Emperours; were not they zelotes too in that decree of theirs (alleaged by the former Baldwin)? Dies festos majestati Altissimi dedicatos nullis volumus voluptatibus occupari: undoubtedly they meane hereby worldly pleasures; such they would have no place on holy festivities; and why? but because they accounted those holy festivalls profaned thereby. And may not King Iames also be censured for a zelote in making that proclamation of his for the reformation of abuses in profaning the Lords Day, at his first comming into the Land, to receave this Kingdome as his rightfull inheritance? In the Conference before his Majesty at Hampton Court, I finde mention made of it by D. Reynolds in this manner: To the former Doctor Reynolds did adde the profanation of the Sabbath day, and contempt of his Majesties proclamation made for the reforming of that abuse, of