A63997:311
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.
The first mention we read of the Sabbath is that Exod. 16.23. Where Moses saith, This is that which the Lord hath said, to morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; and let every one judge whether there be any form of a Commandment in this, and whether he doth not speak unto them of a Sabbath as of a thing formerly well known unto them, and v. 25. To day is the Sabbath unto the Lord; ⟨p. 204⟩to day ye shall not find it in the field. This is not spoken as if the condition of a Sabbath were any new thing unto them. But let us see whether there be any great strength in that which followeth. Put the case that Jacob on the Sabbath had neglected Labans flock, and that the Israelites under Pharaoh had not made up their tale of bricks, neither had he escaped a chiding, nor they the insolent fury of their taskmasters. And now according to the principles of these Sabbatarians, what would you counsel them to do? did they observe the Sabbath? they were sure of punishment from man, did they neglect it, they were sure of vengeance from the Lord, unto such straits are they reduced, who would impose the Sabbath as a perpetual Law of nature. As for the first of these, we cannot be ignorant, that both flocks of sheep, and heads of greater cattle were looked unto in the time of the most rigorous observation of the Sabbath. Our Saviour observes the Jews practise (notwithstanding all their rigour this way) was to unloose their Ox, and lead him to watering: Neither was Laban so rigorous a Lord to Jacob being from the first his uncle, and afterwards his father in Law, and one that had as good means to know the story of the Creation as Jacob, and how that the Lord from the beginning Blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; afterwards Jacobs posterity met with Task-masters in Egypt. And if the Egyptians had made conscience of setting some time apart for the service of God, according to the suggestion of that light which is confessed to extend so far by nature, how improbable is it they would deny this unto their servants? The Kings of Persia did not use them so hard, but promoted their sacrifices that they might pray for the King, 1and the Kings Children; Trajan made a Law that the Jews should not be molested on their Sabbath. The Turks at this day give liberty unto Christians for the free exercise of their religion.