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

The Doctrine of the Sabbath considered.

First, I come to the Doctrine of the Sabbath translated by the Prefacer; I nothing doubt but the Author thereof will take in good part my pains in the discussion of it, considering the present occasion urging me hereunto; Out of the variety of his reading, he observes many wild derivations of the name Sabbath, and out of his judgment doth pronounce that the Jews by their Bacchanalian rites gave the World just occasion to suspect, that they did consecrate the Sabbath unto Revels rather then Gods service. As for the rigorous keeping of the day in ⟨p. 188⟩such sort;¹ as neither to kindle fire in the Winter-time wherewith to warm themselves: or to dress meat for the sustentation of themselves; I am so far from justifying it, that I willingly profess I am utterly ignorant, where any such Christians live, that press any such rigorous observation of it. The Jews were bound to observe the rest on that day for a mysterious signification sake, and thereupon depended their rigorous observing of a rest, as many think, and not Lyra alone. We must know (saith he) that rest from manual works is not (now) so rigorously observed as in the old Law, because meat may be dressed, and other things done on the Lords Day, which were not lawful on the Sabbath: because that rest was in part figurative, as was the whole state under the Law, 1 Cor. 10. All things befell them in figure; Now in that which is figurative, if you take away never so little; (that is, if that which is figurative be not exactly observed) the whole and entire signification faileth, like as if you take away but one letter from the name of Lapis, the whole and entire signification is destroyed. To deal plainly, my opinion is, that all sports, and pastimes on the Lords Day, are a breaking of the rest belonging to it, and a profanation of that day which ought to be sanctified; And I trust, herein I differ not one jot from the whole Parliament, 1o. Caroli; wherein was expressly prohibited, that any man should go out of his own Parish to any sports, and pastimes on the Sabbath day; and this is done to prevent the profanation of it, as appears clearly by the reasons of that Act; which Parliament was held certain years after this Lecture, concerning the Doctrine of the Sabbath, was read in the University.