The new earth, or, The true Magna Charta of the past ages, and of the ages or world to come: called The Jews commonweal. Written by an unworthy witness of the truth of the great God, John Brayne.

Statute.

EXod. 23.12. Thou shalt rest the seventh day, that thy Ox and Ass may rest; that the son of thy handmaid and strang∣er be refreshed.

Numb. 28.25. Jer. 17.21. Carry no burden.

Levit. 23.3. It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all their dwell∣ings.

Exod. 16.29. Let no man go out of his place on the Sabbath.

Vers. 26. Ye shall finde no manna thereon.

Deut. 31.16. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpe∣tual 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

continue untill Christ came, and carnal ceremonies were put to an end, Rom. 4.11.

3. God in Horeb makes a covenant with all the people, Deut. 5.2, 3. and in Exod. 31.16. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout all their congrega∣tions, for a perpetual covenant: it is a signe between me and the children of Israel for ever, Exod. 34.27.

Objected, This seems to hold out three covenants; and the Scripture holds out but two.

Answ. That Abraham had, is the same with ours; and hence is Abraham called the father of the faithful: onely the admini∣strations thereof differs now, from what it had then.

1. This covenant of the Law continuing, the signe thereof must al∣so continue, Ezek. 20.20. My Sabbath, as distinct from the Lords day.

2. The Scriptures call after Christs resurrection the seventh-dayes-Sabbath Sabbath, as well as the first, if rightly translated.

3. The Apostles met with the Jews, and taught them that day usually.

4. No Scripture shews the abolishing thereof.

5. It is necessary those under that covenant should have a day and time to serve God in, as those under the new.

6. The Sabbath of the new must not be to those under the old covenant, nor the Sabbath of the old to those under the new, Mat. 9.17. Men put not new wine into old bottles, nor peece an old gar∣ment with a new peece of cloth.

7. In the estate of the Church, all things are become new: but then it is only with such as are of the Church: with others not of the Church, they are so under the old covenant, as if there had never been any new. Mark, saith the Apostle, what the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, Rom. 3.13. so that those under the Law are commanded to work six dayes, and rest the seventh only.

8. Thus not an iota or tittle of the law perisheth: the morality of the seventh-day-Sabbath is continued; and yet no Judaizing in the thing: for this was no part of the ceremonial law; the ground of the seventh day being from the creation; but of the ceremonies, from the redemption of Christ.

9. Thus Christ destroyes not the law, but establisheth it; Jesus

Christ not taking unbelievers from being under the law, in which e∣state they were, and subjection thereunto.

10. God will judge them by the law, that are under the law. Now the law requires them that are under it, to keep the seventh day Sab∣bath, Rom. 2.12. and those that are risen with Christ, and marryed to him, are under the Gospel, and Gospel-day: this truth shines forth clearly, Rom. 7.1, 2, 3, 4. where untill the woman is married to Christ, shee is under her first husband Moses.

11. The one hath a rest with God, and beast, and creatures, by Moses; the other hath a rest with God, and Christ, and angels: souls of just men made perfect on mount Sion. Heb. 12.

Note. Moses and Christ are two, and do not destroy each o∣ther; Christ onely perfects Moses: the covenants are two, the Sab∣baths two, the states two; one of the world, the other of the Church; one under the law, the other under the Gospel: which estates are not to be confounded or made one.

Hence, Col. 2.16. Let no man judge you in respect of the Sab∣bath dayes.

1. Keeping the seventh day Sabbath while unbelievers.

2. Being received by the Church, and now observe the first, and work on the seventh, whereas before, he wrought on the first, and sanctified the seventh; justly brings men to be judged and question∣ed for so doing among men not knowing the truth, and the will of God therein.

A strange confusion in the world for some time there was, if we may believe Socrates; who saith, the Church of Rome observed onely the first day Sabbath, and all other Churches the seventh. See into what division the loss of truth had brought the then world into; and ever since, in this darkness arose out of the bottomless-pit, Rev. 9.3. hath the world been shut up.

3. He that is under the law-day Sabbath, is to be punished accor∣ding to its law, if he observe it not; and he that is under the Gospel-Sabbath, is to be proceeded against according to the way of the Gospel, by those several powers set up of God in them.

Object. God requires but one day of seven; this is two.

Resp. One day is but observed: for those observe the first, are not bound to observe the seventh; and those bound to observe the seventh, are not bound to observe the first.

Object. Some would then be buying, selling, merchandizing on both dayes, and no day observed: which would be very gross confusion.

Resp. This confusion in the Apostles dayes, if you call it so: and the Apostle never tearmed it such at all, but saith, Let no man judge you (much more let no man condemne you) in respect of Sabbath dayes, Col. 2.

2. By this means the Apostles gathered the Jews and Judaizing Gentiles, teaching in the Synagogues on the seventh, and after in the Churches on the first.

3. By this, as the Jews held a preparation to their Sabbath, so now is the seventh dayes Sabbath a preparation to the first.

4. There is no sin, where is no law, Moses gave no command to those under the law, to observe the first day: Christ gave no com∣mand to those under grace, to observe the seventh day Sabbath.

5. Anrichrist could never have made the Church and the world one, but by destroying those ordinances that separated them; and making them one in Church-ordinances, it was easie to perswade the world to be one with the Church, but not the Church with the world.

Quest. is, If the law-estate can be restored and not the seventh dayes Sabbath.

2. Whether men, untill they are Evangelically called thence, are not of and under that estate, in respect of their visible estate and con∣dition in the world, Gal. 4.1.

Object. The Apostles gathered many from Paganisme, and never were under the law at all.

Resp. The legal external administration was in a manner abo∣lished.

2. Those were gathered, were under it, spiritually and inwardly, before they were gathered.

4. If God effectually called them to be under the second, the first was waxen old to them then only, and not before.

Object. Who shall be Ministers of this administration, seeing Aarons priesthood dyeth?

Resp. Aaron was not the Minister of this; this was ministred in the Synagogues: Aaron ministred in the temple onely.

2. The Scribes or Lawyers, which were not Levites or Priests, they

read the law in Synagogues, and are said to sit in Moses (not Aa∣rons) chaire, Mat. 23.2, 3.

In the Synagogue it was common to read or teach, Luk. 4.16, 17. Acts 13.15. The ruler of the Synagogue I take to be none else but one designed in especial to take care of the well-ordering of all things to be done therein.

In the word is no priesthood after this administration, but a scribe, a writer of the law, that knew how to read it well. Hence the peo∣ple are called a Kingdome of Priests, every one being to be a law-priest, for expounding the judicial law, Exod. 19.6.

Object. What confusion would this bring forth in families!

Resp. Is there more amongst us then was among Jews and Gen∣tiles at the first erecting of Churches?

2. Did not Christ foretell as much, when he said there should in one house be three against two, and two against three? Luk. 12.52.

3. Doth not the Apostle say the servant then to the heathen was the Lords freeman? 1 Cor. 7. See how God plagued Pharaoh, for keeping his people from serving him.

Object. Rev. 18.4. God calls his people out of Babel, or Rome, the false Church onely.

Resp. This is the first step from her, to separate the world and Church.

2. We are not to come out of Babels Church-practice onely, but her state-practices also; not in duties of the Gospel only, but the law also. A people in civil society cannot be without the law; as in the Church-society they cannot be without the Gospel, and be with and under God therein.

The first-day-Sabbath is of the covenant of grace; the seventh, of works. Moses is taught the seventh, Christ the first: natural men observe one, believers the other; yet both sanctified, and Sabbaths, and to be kept holy.

Object. This would be exceeding loss to the Nation.

Resp. Never man did lose by serving God, but gaine.

2. The godly man must sell all, If he will be a Christian, and de∣ny himself, and be dead to all.

Note. The heathens set apart some time to serve their Gods of wood and stone in, though they had no warrant to do the same:

shall not those are the people of God much more have some day to serve him in? and what day, but that God in the laws instituted, from which before the Son hath made them free, they are not dis∣charged from what service the law requires, nor what penalty the law imposeth on them for disobedience: apply Mat. 5.19.

Hear what the law saith to those under the law, James 2.10. Whosoever keepeth the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all. Rom. 3.19. that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Gal. 3.10. Cursed be every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.

Appl. This seems to me, that men under the law are strictly bound to the observation of the seventh-day-Sabbath: of which number all unbelievers are, who are bound to serve God for the crea∣ture-comforts and mercies, though they know not Christ, but are in the state of the world.

Appl. The Lords-day-Sabbath is only to be observed in the Church, by men made free by Christ from the law, curse, and con∣demnation thereof. Heb. 4.9. There remaineth a Sabbatisme to the people of God; called another day, vers. 8. from the 7. Note verse 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

This is of great concernment to be inquired into, that whiles we strive to build up what we should not, we pull down what we ought not. I hope you would not for a world make a law to make void the law of God.

The Sabbath gave way to circumcision, though it were not of Moses, that is, Moses law. John 7.22, 23. that the law of Moses concerning circumcision might not be broken.

It is very remarkable, that in all the conflicts the Scribes and Pha∣risees had with Christ about the Sabbath, he never spake of the abo∣lishing of it, nor condemned the right observance of it; though the Jews were more oft offended at Christ for this, then any thing; he curing more on that day, then any, because looked on by the Lord as the work of the day; and they the more troubled at it, because done thereon, which they judged to be a profanation thereof.

Note. As the law was given by the found of Trumpet, so the con∣gregations of the Synagogues were to be called by trumpet, and not by bells, Numb. 10.7. Exod. 19.16. which minded them of gi∣ving

of the law, and the covenant then made the believers by rising of the Sun, that is, the time and call of them for their wor∣ship.

Sabbath dayes journey, some understand one some to be two miles; which was no less to be observed under the Gospel, then un∣der the Law-day-Sabbath. Joshua 3.4. Acts 1.12.

The Scriptures rightly expounded, will clear this Antichristian darkness. O take the vaile from our eyes and hearts.

Mark. 16.1. The Sabbath being end, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Vers. 2. Early in the morn, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the first of Sabbaths; it being the first of the Lords-day-Sabbath, or the first of the two Sabbaths; the Lords day being the first, the seventh day the last of the week, according to the Scripture, The first shall be last, and last first. And for the ceremonial Sabbath, they are no more called Sabbaths, but the seventh and first day are called Sabbaths alway in the word.

The Scriptures speaking of the Lords-day-Sabbath, misinterpreted for the first day of the week, and calls the seventh day a Sabbath al∣so, are these: Mat. 28.1. Mark 16.2. Luk. 20.1. Acts 20.7. 1 Cor. 16.2.

That the Scriptures are misinterpreted when read the first day of the week, is clear; for when God speaks of the first day of the week, Mark 16.9. he saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the singular; no 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the plural; and thus the Pharisees, Luk. 18.12. fasted 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

1. After Christ, the Law-day-Sabbath was observed by the Jews, men under the Law, among whom the Apostles taught, and never in one word reproved them. Acts 18 2. Paul, as his man∣ner was, went into the Synagogue to the Jews, and three Sab∣bath dayes reasoned out of the Scriptures with them. Note, his manner was: and thus in many other Scriptures.

2. The Lords-day-Sabbath was observed among believers, Act. 20.7. On the first, or one of the Sabbaths, when the Disciples came together to bread bread Paul preached to them, &c. and that 1 Cor. 16.2. On every first of Sabbaths (a command to the Church of Corinth) every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him.

3. Having shewed you, that both the first and the seventh day,

that under the covenant of the law, and that under the covenant of grace; Moses Sabbath day, and Christs, conjunctly are called Sab∣baths, and so of divine authority alike; onely one is a command to men under the law, the other to men under grace: now I shall shew you how they are distinctly called Sabbaths.

Heb. 4.4. He speaks of the seventh dayes rest.

Vers. 5. In this againe of an other rest, which is a dayes rest, as the seventh day was, is clear, from vers. 7. and the 8.

Verse 9. This other day is called Sabbatismos, a sabbatisme; which is proper onely to the Church or people of God.

Vers. 10. This Sabbath-rest men must strive to enter into; in the other, all men are compelled: in this, none but believers in the Kingdome of God injoy, into which men are bid to strive to enter.

Object. Here they are said to enter into this sabbatisme, which is proper to the state of heaven to be entred into.

Resp. Believers in Christ are said to enter into, or be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the law to Christ; or one in law, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to Christ, 1 Cor. 9.21.

Object. Mark. 2.28. Luke 6.5. Christ is said to be Lord of the Sabbath: and in what was he so, but in putting an end to it?

Resp. That Scripture saith not so, and is contrary to many ex∣press Scriptures, where Christ saith, A tittle of the law shall not perish: and the Scripture is falsly rendered, the word is; The Lord is Son of man, and of the Sabbath; because made of woman, and made under the law, Gal. 4.4.