Baxter - BT767 B28 1662

~nd amy that you ar~ ·againfi ; and that I have proved to be Gods will b:iore. Doubtiefs if you leave all men to ferve God when they will, with?ut any flated time, his \yorfbip \:&iJI foon be brought_ to nothmg, and. they that pretend to keep every day !10\y, wdl keep no~1~~- ~-o~k upon ~he plttces ~here the Lords d.)"' JS kept holy, ar~d fee Wtlether <~odlmefs floun!h not there in con– parably above all other' ~lace$. And 1 think none can doubt_bn~ tha.t more fours 4ave beeti. converted and br.oughr home to God on that d.1.y , then on any day of the week, if not then t?.ii then JF be.fide. And there is not the pe.evifhei1: malignant foul of you that can with any fhewof i:qfon prove that the holy obfervat:o~ of the Lords day is unlrnvfitl, if it were ·not neccJTary: .So that we are at leafl: on tbeJttfeft fide ofthe hedge : For we can fay th< t' we take am()IJ h~ppy opportunity.\ for the good of ou-r .own foHls, and the wodhipping of God ; and tllJ.t we a~e fure we do that which is no fin; our adverfaries.themfclves do not charge us with doing th~t wbich is forllidden, b1:1t that which they conceit unrc~· (.·rffbzry: But if we fhould do as they, and neglea this day , ''e are not fwre bur it may be a great fin ; (nay indeed we are fure ic would be fo. ) But what faith the Holy-Ghoft now to this quefiion? To p<~.(s by the fourth Commandernenr, at this time, the letter of it, and the equity and reafonof a (eventh day; the advantage of reafcn why there fhould be no !efs urider the Gofpd , and fuch iike; I :fhall only now fay thefe two tbings. I. It is plain in Scripture · that (de faao) cbe Apofl!e~ and Churches ufed to meec for holy eommunion in Gods worfhip on the Lords day : And confe– quently d1:tt this'·was ~ppoint d by the Apoflles, or immediat·ely by Chrifl himfelf, there being then no other rhat pretended to any fuch authority : and that Apofiolical allowance no man que- · Hioneth. The Apoflle$ then having tbe extraordinary gift of rhe · Spirit, by which tl1ey were en~bled infallibiy ro mak-: k.no1.vn the \t;'i!l of God, and being commiffioned as well as enabled bernrn– to; as their wriring of the holy Sc:riptures, fo thei-r conflicutions (or the ordering ot -the Church, being tbe effects of that Amho– rity received from Chrifl:, and that Ability given thl'm by the. Spirit, are Divine) and principally the acts of ChriH and the Holy GhoR, whofe agents the Apoftles were. Now that the firfl: Chur~ ches did by tb-ci:r appointment, obferve the Lords day for holy adions, js a .I!' parent. :A-s-Cluifi firfi laid the g_~om~d~~y<?rk by Ri- - · - - - · .. · --___.. ·-- -- -- - - - fing;

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