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

6 Who they be that make their boast, that they have found the institution of the Lords day in the new Testament expressly, J willingly profess I know not, neither do I think the Doctor knows. It is true our Saviour oftentimes disputed with the Pharisees about their superstitious observation of the Sabbath day, which at length degenerated into voluptuous living on that day; in so much, that Austin tells the Jews plainly It is better to go to plough then to dance: but if hereupon you ask, where is any the least suspicion of the abrogating of it? I answer every one knows, The time was not yet come for the abrogating of it. Nay, ⟨p. 228⟩he discourseth so as if 40. years after his death, the observation of the Sabbath should continue,¹ as when he exhorts them at such a time, to pray that their flight be not in the Winter, nor on the Sabbath day Matth. 24.20. what will you conclude hence? therefore the observation of the Jewish Sabbath was still to continue among Christians? if you do, who shall more deservedly be obnoxious to the censure of Judaism, you or we? yet when he tells them, that the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath, how few interpreters writing hereupon, do not take notice of his power to abrogat it? But is it not enough that Paul crieth down the ceremonies of the Jews, and in special their holy days, and particularly Sabbaths; to wit, so far forth, as they are found to be shadows, the body whereof was Christ, such was the rest on the seventh day, as prefiguring Christs rest in the grave. But no sober man (I trow) will hence conclude that herewithall he crieth down the setting apart of any time for Gods service, that having no colour of ceremony, or rest from such works, as hinder us in the service of God, this being as little ceremonial as the former. I make bold to go one step farther, and conclude by the same reason, that neither doth he cry down the proportion of time, to wit, of one day in seven, to be set a part for the exercises of piety, because in this particular, there is no more ceremonialitie to be found, then in any one of the former. But to proceed, what indifferent man would once expect, that in our Saviours disputations with the Pharisees about the Sabbath, mention should be made of the Lords day instituted in the place thereof? It is enough, we find it instituted after our Saviours resurrection;