Of the morality of the fourth commandment as still in force to bind Christians…Of the morality of the fourth commandement as still in force to binde Christians…

And the next begins with this question, ⟨p. 234⟩what then? shall we affirm that the Lords day is founded on divine authority? and the answer is, For my part (without prejudice to any mans opinion) I assent unto it; how ever the arguments like me not, whereby it is supported; well therefore, let us lovingly and candidly, as it becomes the gates of the muses, confer about these arguments. First, this inference offends me; That in the cradle of the world, God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it; therefore all men are bound to sanctify it by the Law of Nature: since I both doubt, whether the Patriarchs did observe it before Moses time, and have learnt also that the Law of nature is immutable; Doctor Andrewes in his pattern of Catechetical Doctrine writes saying, This is a principle, that the Decalogue is the Law of nature revived, and the law of nature is the Image of God. But let us consider the argument. It is one thing to except against the antecedent, another to except against the inference made hence: As touching the Antecedent, it is one thing, what God hath ordained, and may be another thing, what the Patriarchs observed; we say God ordained it in as much as he commanded it in these words, Therefore God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, that is, commanded man to sanctify it as hath been proved: and is also confessed; only to help themselves, as it were at a dead lift; they say, those words in Genesis, are uttered by way of anticipation; as much as to say; because God rested on that day, therefore God commanded man to rest on the same day, and sanctify it, but when? 2500. years after; for the unreasonableness of which interpretation, and the incongruity thereof unto the same words, repeated in the fourth commandment; I appeal to that which I have formerly discoursed he reupon: Now if God from the beginning ordained the seventh day to be kept holy; we leave it to every sober conscience to judge, whether it be not most likely, that both Adam and the holy Patriarchs observed it; for we insist not in this argument upon humane observation, but merely upon Divine institution. And though God did from the beginning command it, yet it followeth not, that all men are bound to sanctify that day, unless they have some evidence of Gods command, wherewith we are made acquainted by the Scriptures.