A63997:42
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.
and whether this hath not greater evidence, that even then God ordered, that that day should be sanctified, than that the meaning should be, that therefore God ordered this two thousand and certain years after, I appeal to every Christian to judge between us. And if God did then order it, which could not be otherwise than by command, how could Adam be ignorant hereof; and if he knew as much, how improbable is it, that he and his, at least Abel and Enosh, and his pious posterity should not observe it? And if a time had not been set apart even in Adams days for divine service, how improbable is it, that Cain and Abel should concur at the same time, in bringing ⟨p. 12⟩their offerings unto the Lord; and if not at the same time, how could Cain discern that Abel's offering was respected and accepted of God, when his was not? Yet for certain, it was observed before Moses Law, if by the Law we understand the Law given on mount Sinai, as appears manifestly Exod. 16. And withal it is thereby evident, that from the beginning of the world until that time, the distinction of the year into weeks was observed, otherwise it were impossible to know, which day was the seventh in correspondency to the seventh from the Creation, (save by particular revelation whereof we read nothing) now that being unknown, the reason of sanctifying the seventh day by an holy rest, drawn from Gods rest on the seventh, that is, the last day of the first week from the Creation had been utterly void, and nothing at all agreeable. And this distinction of time into weeks was observed from all Antiquity by the Gentiles, as hath been confirmed by Wallaeus and Rivetus, with the help of Claudius Salmasius, that learned Antiquary; and likewise that the seventh day was a Festival even among the Gentiles. And albeit divers others of the Ancients are alleged to the same purpose, as affirming that the Patriarchs did not observe the Sabbath, as namely Eusebius, 1saying, They had no Circumcision of the body, nor observation of the Sabbath, as we have not. And Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew,2 saying, Heretofore there were good men that pleased God, though they kept not Sabbaths. And Irenaeus in like manner, thus, Abraham himself without Circumcision, and observation of the Sabbaths, believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness;