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

And why should we think the Egyptians more rigorous to the Israelites then the Babylonians were to the Jews? Or if alike; why may not a man conclude as well of the Jews in Babylon, as of the Israelites in Egypt that If they did observe the Sabbath they were sure of punishment from man, if they did neglect it, they were sure of vengeance from God. ⟨p. 205⟩The Canon of Laodicea enjoining the celebration of the Lords day hath this caution, si possint; which is thought to be spoken in reference to servants under the tyranny of Heathen masters. And if the observation of the Sabbath may give way to the exercise of charity towards others, and of mercy towards beasts, may it not much more to the exercise of mercy towards our own bodies? yet what if all this were granted? who seeth not that if there be any strength in this argument they may by as good reason dispute against the profession of Christianity under persecuting tyrants. For if they do profess christianity under such; they are sure of punishment from man; if not, they are sure of vengeance from God. So that to no such straights are we put as is devised, like as the state of the question obtruded upon us is devised also, but that I have formerly cleared, and showed that we are to distinguish. 1. of time in general to be set apart for Gods service. 2. of the proportion of time in special. 3. of the day under that proportion of time in particular. And how far the light of nature doth—direct us in all these. That the sanctification of the seventh day as commanded from the beginning unto man, I have already proved in the former Section, and also that reason justifieth this drawn from the division of time into weeks, as which had its course from the beginning of the World; and how authority both ancient, and modern doth countenance this way of ours far more then the contrary. And Manasseh ben Israel one of the ancient wise Doctors of the Jews observes, that when the Jews are bid to remember that they were servants in Egypt, this is as if it had been said, remember how that in Egypt, where thou servedst, thou wast constrained to work even upon the Sabbath day. In Exod. queast. 36. Upon the Lords blessing the seventh day and sanctifying it from the beginning of the World, and upon the fourth Commandment is founded our observation of the Sabbath; as Chrysostom hath professed;

And why should wee thinke the Aegyptians more rigorous to the Israelites then the Babylonians were to the Iewes? Or if alike; why may not a man conclude as well of the Iewes in Babylon, as of the Israelites in Egypt that If they did observe the Sabbath they were sure of punishment from man, if they did neglect it, they were sure of vengeance from God.