To the most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops of this Kingdom.
RIGHT REVEREND Fathers in God, and Right Gracious Honorable Lords, I presume to offer this treatise of the Sabbath-day, unto your gracious and judicious consideration, as unto whom it doth more principally appertain, to weigh and determine of questions and controversies, of such great consequences, and whose it is, in a most eminent manner, to see that all corruptions in God's worship be reformed—all truths of God fostered and cherished, and all the parts of God's worship, duly and religiously observed.
Amongst other things in this treatise, I humbly desire your lordships to take these five into your best and deepest consideration. 1. That the sacred ordinance of God's Sabbath, (than which there is not any in our church more ancient, commanded by God in his moral law, ratified by Christ the Son of God, practiced by the apostles, and also, by the primitive churches after them, for three or four hundred years together,) is now sinfully trampled under foot, and profaned. 2. That the decalogue, the ten commandments of Almighty God, are not wholly and fully taught and maintained in our church, but only by parts and by pieces. 3. That God hath not his whole and entire worship and service, prescribed in the first table of the decalogue, but is denied one-fourth part thereof weekly. 4. That God's fourth commandment is by the common doctrine in our church, wholly frustrated and nullified, both root and branch. 5. That by very many in our church there is gross superstition committed, God's worship corrupted, yea, plain idolatry wrought; and that by sanctifying of the Lord's day for a Sabbath day, by the fourth commandment. These things, (as I believe,) you shall find clearly proved in this book.
Unto whose consideration should I commend these things for redress, if not unto your lordships? Hath not his Majesty therefore deputed you unto your several charges, to oversee, and see to the well ordering of the church and worship of God? And hath not the Almighty laid it upon you, to warn some, that they teach none other doctrine? 1 Tim. i, 3. And to redress the things that are amiss. Or, to set in order the things that are wanting? Tit. i, 5. DOWN THEN WITH THAT IDOL—THE LORD'S-DAY SABBATH. (So dealt Hezekiah with the brazen serpent, when idolatry prevailed.) And bring into its room, and into the church of God again, that ancient ordinance—God's sacred Seventh-day Sabbath. Let not an idol of man's devising stand in God's church, where an ordinance of God enjoined by the moral law, should stand.
O, my honorable lords, what a pity it is to see Antiquity, true and honorable Antiquity. I mean the Lord's Sabbath, trodden under foot! Why should not our church become followers of those ancient and purest churches of primitive times, those that existed next after Christ, and his blessed apostles, in the observation of the Lord's Sabbath? Who, so long as they retained their greatest purity, so long religiously observed the Seventh-day Sabbath. Why should not your lordships exhort unto the observation of the Sabbath day, as did that godly Bishop IGNATIUS in his time? And why should not your lordships defend the Sabbath-day, as did that famous Bishop Athanasius, in his time? Cent. IV, cap. 6, p. 410. This done, the law of God should be taught and maintained in our church, in its integrity and perfection. The fourth commandment should be in use amongst us again, and be accounted as moral as any of the other nine; and God should have his whole and entire worship prescribed in the first table, as well amongst us as ever he had amongst the Jews, when they were the only people of God. If it please not God to enkindle your lordships hearts with more zeal for his glory in this behalf, than is to be found amongst common ministers, God's Sabbaths are still (which God forbid) to be123waste, his laws to be partially taught, and his entire worship to be still denied him.
Let no one suggest unto your lordships, that the observation of the ancient Sabbath is Judaism; for Athanasius, living in those first ages of the Christian churches, taketh away this objection, saying, 'We keep the Sabbath-day, and yet we are not tainted with Judaism.' Cen. IV. In the Book of Common Prayer, after the fourth commandment, (wherein the old Sabbath-day is by name specified,) is publicly rehearsed by the minister, we are ordered to use this devout prayer, Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law; which prayer and commandment cannot (under your lordships correction) be understood of the Lord's day, nor of any other day, but the old Sabbath-day only; wherefore, the observation of the old Sabbath is no Judaism, unless we be taught to pray to God to incline our hearts to Judaism.
It is not unknown to your lordships, that not many years since, the cross in baptism hath by some been counted idolatrous, and the holy days Romish, and yet, hath our church freed them from such imputations? I trust, therefore, that in your grace and religious consultations, it will be judged meet, that the Lord's Sabbaths shall be also freed from the slander of Judaism, and the like. If the holy days of the saints may be defended, I trust the HOLY DAY of the Holy one of Israel shall be protected.
I have done my errand, I have discharged my duty, the cause is no longer mine. Then, in my heart, I now commend it unto your lordships for protection, the cause is God's, and therefore your's and the church's. It deserveth the patronage of the greatest and most learned.
'Tis true, my person is mean, I care not though it be slighted, so that the cause be honored. Judges regard not persons, but causes.
In courts of justice, if any sue, or inform for the king, or if the king's title be in question, though the informer be mean and neglected, yet the cause is much regarded, for it hath all the honor and furtherance, that the judges and court can give it. The judges manage it as if it were their own; other causes stand by, whilst it is tried. Informers and witnesses are countenanced and encouraged to speak, so as if possible, the king's title shall get the day. Let me petition your lordships, therefore, in your trial of this controversy, to have regard to Him, whose title is in this question, it being the Lord's Sabbath, a branch of the moral law—a part of God's worship, and one of the most ancient ordinances that ever God established in this church. The title is plainly God's therefore, yes, it is called THE SABBATH OF THE LORD, or the Lord's Sabbath, and mine holy day.
The title being God's, then let it have like favorable and honorable trial, in your synod's consistories, and consciences, which earthly kings' titles obtain in their courts; let the day be God's, let judgment pass on his side. Let the informer have encouragement and countenance. He pleads the King's broad seal, an express precept, the fourth commandment, one of the ten morals. What higher evidence can be demanded?
Let no argument, or text of Scripture, be urged to the abolishing of this ordinance of God's Sabbath, to the impairing of the moral law, and to the overturning of any part of God's worship once established in his church. Nor let any answer pass for orthodox, whereby any jot or title of the decalogue should be denied. This I humbly beg, and crave of your lordships, and that, in the name of God, whose title I inform for, and whose you are to judge, by virtue of your high offices.
It may easily be thought, that in so large a treatise as this is, wherein is handled so many arguments, and answers, passages, and particulars, and in a new argument, not formerly wrote of by any, that some of them may savor of human frailty, and stand in need of further study. I crave of your lordships, that such a thing may not be dwelt upon, but that the body of the treatise and main argument, may be attended to, the which are so clear and sound, (to my understanding,) as I am quite confident, the cause shall obtain your lordships' patronage.
So demean yourselves in deciding, judging, and defending God's title here on earth, that when the Lord Jesus, that chief Shepherd, and Bishop of our souls shall appear, then you may receive an incorruptible crown of glory.