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by Tho. Tillam
Title page
THE With the Christians glorious Conquest
London, Printed for the Author
SEVENTH-DAY
SABBATH
Sought out and celebrated
OR
The Saints last Design upon the
Man of sin, with their advance of
God’s first institution to its
Primitive perfection, being a clear
Discovery of that black
Character in the head of the
Little Horn, Dan. 7:25
THE
Change of TIMES & LAWS
over that Mark of the Beast, and recovery of
The long –slighted Seventh day, to its ancient
Glory, wherein Mr. Aspinwal, may receive
Full answer to his late piece against
The Sabbath
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By Tho. Tillam, Minster of the Gospel
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Psalm 102:13,14 Thou shalt arise and have mercy
upon Sion for the time to favour her, yea the set time is come.
For thy servants take pleasure in her stones,
and favour the dust thereof.
and are to be sold by Livewell Chapman
at the Crown in Popes head Alley.
gathered by God’s grace
with the Authors Ministry
into the beautiful
order of the Gospel.
Look (my beloved) from the top of the mountain (to which grace hath advanced you,) and behold the woeful world still wallowing in wickedness and weltring in blood under the wrath of a jealous God, in a hopeless graceless, Christless condition. And such were some of you, but you are washed , but you are sanctified, but you are justified, no more strangers and foreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God, founded upon your Rock of Ages whose mysterious habitations and temple ye are. (1 Cor. 6:11) Now hat shall we return to the Lord for the these invaluable benefits?
I hope there is not a soul of you that dare slight such unsearchable riches of grace, I trust you are truly enlightened and purely principled, which with the sense of your former weight of sin (the intolerable burden of an awakened conscience) will cause you for ever to delight in Christ’s shadow, and sit with soul-satisfaction under the spread wings of the eternal Savior; that soul hath only a name to live that loves not such a Lord.
Amongst all the blessings bestowed upon man, God made for him a holy Sabbath, and this of old was the honor of God’s Israel and shall be again the glory of such as stand in the Ancient path enquiring for the good old way. Now since Jehovah hath graciously revealed Sabbath light amongst you, and laid you under many endearments, let each soul (that is indeed a Saint) take up with the Psalmist, Return unto thy rest, O my Soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, for truly you have need of rest amidst all your reproaches for the Law of your God, and to strengthen you for new trials, especially if you and I (who have hitherto enjoyed our precious liberty) should experience what we hear, namely that the present powers make no conscience of Oaths or Acts; if this should prove so indeed, what can be expected to Sabbath- keepers but new prelatical persecution? There is a solemn Oath taken before God and men to protect such as profess faith in God by Jesus Christ though differing from the doctrine or discipline of the nation which is seconded by the present Parliament who have enacted. That such as profess faith in God, Father, Son, and Spirit, and own the scriptures, shall not be compelled by penalties, nor restrained from their profession, though differing from the public doctrine, and discipline, but shall be protected in the peaceable exercise of their religion.
But notwithstanding these great engagements, there would be little probability of peace should their principles be as some are persuaded.
Wherefore fly with speed to your experienced City of Refuge and improve your interest in heaven for the suppression of Jeroboam’s sin, who did not only advance the device of his own heart in the time of worship, but imposed it on the people, and so made Israel to sin.
Strive with your prayers against the remaining corruptions, rising oppressions, appearing persecutions; and manifold enormities of a revolting nation; God hath eminently punished the princes and the Kings Children and (threatens) all such as are clothed in strange apparel; and yet how this abomination abounds amongst us! Yea tis feared that as Jehu pulled down one Baal and advanced two golden Calves, so the suppression of one proud Prelate may be attended with the promotion of many persecuting Presbyters, and then farewell our precious Gospel privileges if ever our liberty should be at their allowance, They have already put forth their sting by underhand attempts to obstruct this great truth of God’s Sabbath.
Their contentious Lecture at Colchester, termed Your Gospel Baptism, an infant damning doctrine and the ministers thereof the Devil’s factors, stirring up rulers against us, which probably may prove their strongest arguments in opposing the Sabbath. As for such (either Presbyterian or any other opinion) who are of a Gospel frame of Spirit free from Ishmaelitish persecuting principles, I do not in the least reflect upon them, but highly prize all the lovely appearances of Christ in them; knowing that such (though our elder Brethren) dare not murmur at our Father’s love, who hath enlightened our minds; with the revived glory of his Royal Sabbath but will like noble Bereans weigh the serious (and I hope sober) work in the balance of the Sanctuary.
If such as would have a precept of this high import smothered or concealed under a bed of security or bushel of plenty were thoroughly awakened by the whisperings of Christ, they would readily proclaim this glorious truth upon the house top. If this lively oracle of Gods Seventh day Sabbath be not clearly instituted by the Father, ratified by the Son, approved by the Spirit, and observed by the Saints, let it be confuted and rejected; but if this Royal Law be thus established, how dreadful must be the continued weekly pollution of it after Christ’s call to repentance and reformation? God hath long winked at the days of our ignorance, but he will not long bear with willfulness. As for you the beloved spouse of Christ (Elders, Deacons and Brethren) I bless the Almighty for you; I can never sufficiently admire that unexpected passage of providence that made plain my path unto you, and truly since God hath so eminently crowned my weak (but willing) endeavors among you, we cannot without ingratitude forget the many fatherly favours and constant encouragements of that worthy instrument who first invited me to serve you.
The good Lord strengthen us by the choice graces of his precious Spirit that we may never forfeit our interest in this honored Patriot, or in the least blemish of our most holy profession. Your gracious submission to gospel truth hath filled my soul with joy, and I am sure God hath enriched your hearts with gifts and grace since your souls were set towards his Sabbath. Tis very much for your sakes (who have earnestly desired it) that I have thus far engaged; wherefore with endeared bowels of love I present it to you, the good Spirit engrave it in your hearts that you may honour it in your lives, till the Lord of the Sabbath, crown all your services and sufferings with everlasting rest. Dear Brethren cease not to pour out your souls on the behalf of (?) Your faithful and affectionate Minister, Tho. Tillan
THE
SEVENTH DAY
SABBATH
SOUGHT OUT AND CELEBRATED,
BY
SAINTS OBTAINING VICTORY OVER THE
MARK OF THE BEAST
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that although the day and hour be not known, yet doubtless this generation shall not pass till New Jerusalem’s glory shall crown obedient Saints with everlasting Rest. Therefore rouse up your selves, ye spiritual Citizens of Z ion; shake off the dust and trash of beastly Babylon; and whiles that imperious Harlot shames not to assert that Ignorance of the Mother of Devotion, let heavenly wisdom be your sole design, with raised expectations of his faithful performance; who hath promised, That the earth shall be fill with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea. (Hab. 2:14)
Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased (Dan. 12:4)
Whiles vengeance in fiery flames shall be the portion of such as are disobedient and willingly ignorant. (2 Thess. 1:8)
Remember the slights and deceits of imposing Pope and Prelate, their Altars, pictures, gossips, kneeling at the rail, surplice, with the whole system of invented service, and let this consideration quicken all that fear the Lord, that the very same Horn who thus imposed his Canons upon our consciences, must change our Times no less than our Laws, or else he is not Antichrist.
Since therefore its undeniable that we have been deceived by his Laws, ‘tis worthy
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our enquiry, whether we have been cheated of the appointed Times of God’s worship. ‘Twill be said to that soul that (after warning) shall be found in the weekly pollution of God’s Sabbath; ‘tis not one day in seven will serve turn, when the books shall be opened, and that very seventh day on which God himself rested shall be found expressly commanded. The Beast’s Wafer cakes and Water instead of enjoined Bread and Wine will be as (in)excusable one day as the change of God’s holy Sabbath.
As for such professors who surpass the late Prelates in scoffing at God’s Sabbath as an empty form, a trifle, etc. let New England (however mistaken in the precise time) mourn over their licentiousness in these sorrowful strains.
“No measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present estate of times, that when the Lord Jesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversy of Zion, there should rise up other instruments of spiritual wickedness in high places, to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this day from off the face of the earth.
The enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much negligent time servers and aspiring brambles, whom preferment principally biased to knock at the Sabbath; but those
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who have eaten bread with Christ (a generation of professing people) do lift up their heel against the Sabbath: so that what could formerly not be done by Angels of darkness, the old serpent takes another course to effect by seeming Angels of light.
And what enlightened soul can cease to [cast] in a heart full of sighs, not only for such frothy professors, whole earthly minds under spiritual pretences condemn God’s hallowed time without fear or trembling; but even for those whose ignorance hurries them (head wink’d) from week to week to wallow in wickedness, being that day most busily employed about their perishing bodies, which God hath solemnly designed of his honour, and health of their immortal souls. Never more cause of mourning, then to see Saints in these days of light still honouring the little Horn in the gross abuse of the Lord’s Sabbath time, and the Lords Suppertime. Why Christians will you stick here? Have you got victory over the Beast, and beheld the Holy One tumble down his Image, and will you now lose all your labours for want of a complete victory over the Mark of the Beast, (Rev. 13:2,20) which is so visible and legible in the head of the little Horn, The changer of Times and Laws. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth,
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Because they have transgressed the Laws, changed the Ordinances, broken the everlasting Covenant. (1sa. 24:5)
You are assured Christians the Horn hath changed the Laws; and he cannot be that Horn unless he changed your Times also, will you therefore wisely weigh that he had no Times to change, save the Lords Sabbath Time, and the Lord’s Supper time, and these he and none but he hath changed, as I shall plainly prove under this Position.
The seventh day Sabbath is a perpetual royal Rule for the righteous, established by precept and president, to God’s praise, and Saints privilege.
And to prevent a sudden censure of singularity, let the ingenuous know, that this Conclusion contains not a title different from the professed doctrine of the esteemed Orthodox of this age, as will appear in its parts as so many heads of the ensuing Treatise.
1. The Sabbath is one of the Assemblies approved points. (The Rest Art. Relig. P. 35)
2. The time is contested to be the very seventh day determined by God; for thus write the Elders of New England (with whom accord our English Synod. The Time thereof Sab. P. 100) “Not only a day, not only a rest day, but the rest day or Sabbath day which is expressed
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and expressly interpreted in the Commandment to be the 7th day, or a 7th day of Gods determining, and therefore called the Sabbath of the Lord our God, is here also enjoined and commanded as generally moral.”
Here is a full and free confession and all I shall crave of Christians is but to observe the true seventh day Sabbath until some other day of God’s determining shall be produced; but since that will never be done, I shall proceed to the third point.
3. God’s precept, seconded by his own practice give such full honour to the Sabbath that I hear of none save Atheists, Papists, Prelates, Ranters, Quakers, and some Notionists that gainsay it. (The Authority)
4. Neither was this ancient Law instituted for a year, or an age, but perpetuated to all posterity, as is full acknowledged, (Perpetuity, Synod con. P. 38)
5. This royal Sabbath is no base or beggarly rudiment (as some tremble not to reproach it) but an honorable perfect Law of liberty, worthy to be embraced by all the heavenly race of true believers. (The Sanctification Thes. Sab. P. 49)
6. Not as a Covenant accompanied with thunder, denouncing curses for the least disobedience; but as a holy just religious Rule, breathed by the still and soft voice of the Gospel. (The Rule)
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7. To persons principled in Church order, Isa 8:13 (the Antitype of God’s Ark) in whose renewed hearts by virtue of the new Covenant all God’s Laws are fairly registered which are by others slighted Hos. 8;12 (The Persons)
8. And all for these two great Ends, 1. To honour God, 2. To enjoy him forever (which is the peculiar prerogative of such as obtain victory over the Beast’s Mark, The changer of Times and Laws. And thus each tittle of my tenent being attested (in so many words) by such as are esteemed Orthodox, I hope it may freely appear with prejudice.
The seventh day Sabbath is a perpetual royal Rule for the righteous, established by precept and precedent, to God’s praise, and Saints privilege.