CHAPTER 1 THAT THE SABBATH WAS NOT INSTITUTED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD. (1) The entrance to the Worke in hand. (2) That those Words Genesis 2. And God blessed the seventh day, etc. are there delivered as by way of Anticipation. (3) Anticipations in the Scripture confessed by them, who denie it here. (4) Anticipations of the same nature not strange in Scripture. (5) No Law imposed by God, on Adam, touching the keeping of the Sabbath. (6) The Sabbath not ingraft by nature, in the soule of man. (7) The greatest Advocates for the Sabbath, denie it to be any part of the law of nature. (8) Of the moralitie and perfection supposed to be in the number of seven, by some learned men. (9) That other numbers in the confession of the same learned men, particularly the first, third, and fourth, are both as morall and as perfect, as the seventh. (10) The like is proved of the sixth, eighth, and tenth, and of other numbers. (11) The Scriptures not more favorable to the number of seven, than they are to others. (12) Great caution to be used by those, who love to recreate themselves in the mysteries of numbers.

CHAPTER - THAT THERE WAS NO SABBATH KEPT, FROM THE CREATION TO THE FLOOD. (1) God’s rest upon the seventh day; and from what hee rested. (2) Zanchius conceit touching the sanctifying of the first seventh day, by Christ our Savior. (3) The like of Torniellus, touching the sanctifying of the same, by the Angels in heaven. (4) A generall demonstration that the Fathers before the Law, did not keepe the Sabbath. (5) Of Adam; that he kept not the Sabbath. (6) That Abel and Seth did not keep the Sabbath. (7) Of Enos, that he kept not the Sabbath. (8) That Enoch and Methusalem did not keepe the Sabbath. (9) Of Noah; that he kept not the Sabbath. (10) The Sacrifices, and devotions of the Ancients were occasionall.

CHAPTER 3.

THAT THE SABBATH WAS NOT KEPT FROM THE FLOOD TO MOSES. (1) The Sonnes of Noah did not keepe the Sabbath. (2) The Sabbath could not have beene kept, in the dispersion of Noahs Sonnes, had it beene commanded. (3) Diversitie of Longitudes and Latitudes, must of necessitie make a variation in the Sabbath. (4) Melchisedech, Heber, Lot, did not keepe the Sabbath. (5) Of Abraham and his Sonnes, that they kept not the Sabbath. (6) That Abraham did not keepe the Sabbath, in the confession of the Jewes. (7) Jacob nor Job no Sabbath-keepers. (8) That neither Joseph, Moses, nor the Israelites in AEgypt, did observe the Sabbath. (9) The Israelites not permitted to offer sacrifice, while they were in AEgypt. (10) Particular Proofes that all the morall Law was both knowne and kept amongst the Fathers.

CHAPTER 4.

THE NATURE OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT: AND THAT THE SABBATH WAS NOT KEPT AMONGST THE GENTILES. (1) The Sabbath first made knowne in the fall of Mannah. (2) The giving of the Decalogue, and how farre it bindeth. (3) That in the Judgment of the Fathers of the Christian Church, the fourth Commandment is of a different nature from the other nine. (4) The Sabbath was first given, for a Law, by Moses. (5) And being given, was proper only to the Jewes. (6) What moved the Lord to give the Israelites a Sabbath. (7) Why the seventh day was rather chosen for the Sabbath, than any other. (8) The seventh day not more honored by the Gentiles, than the eighth or ninth. (9) The Attributes given by some Greeke Poets to the seventh day, no Argument that they kept the Sabbath. (10) The Jewes derided for their Sabbath, by the Grecians, Romans, and AEgyptians. (11) The division of the yeere into Weekes, not generally used, of old, amongst the Gentiles.

CHAPTER - THE PRACTICE OF THE JEWES IN SUCH OBSERVANCES, AS WERE ANNEXED UNTO THE SABBATH. (1) Of some particular adjuncts affixed unto the Jewish Sabbath. (2) The annuall Festivals called Sabbaths in the Books of God, and reckned as a part of the fourth Commandment. (3) The Annuall Sabbaths no lesse solemnely observed and celebrated, than the weekely were; if not more solemnely. (4) Of the Parasceve or Preparation to the Sabbath, and the solemne Festivals. (5) All manner of worke, as well prohibited on the Annuall, as the weekely Sabbaths. (6) What things were lawfull to bee done on the Sabbath dayes. (7) Touching the prohibition of not kindling fire, and not dressing meat. (8) what moved the Gentiles generally, to charge the Jewes with fasting on the Sabbath day. (9) Touching this prohibition, Let no man goe out of his place on the Sabbath day. (10) All lawfull recreations, as dancing, feasting, man-like exercises, allowed and practiced by the Jewes upon their Sabbaths.

CHAPTER - TOUCHING THE OBSERVATION OF THE SABBATH, UNTO THE TIME, THE PEOPLE WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE PROMISED LAND. (1) The Sabbath not kept constantly during the time the people wandred in the wildernesse. (2) Of him that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day. (3) Wherein the sanctifying of the Sabbath did consist, in the time of Moses. (4) The Law not by him ordered to be read in the Congregation, every Sabbath day. (5) The sacke if Hiericho, and the destruction of that people, was upon the Sabbath. (6) No Sabbath after this without Circumcision; and how that ceremonie could consist with the Sabbaths rest. (7) What moved the Jewes to preferre Circumcision before the Sabbath. (8) The standing still of the Sunne at the prayers of Josiah, etc. could not but make some alteration about the Sabbath. (9) What was the Priests worke on the Sabbath day; and whither it might stand with the Sabbaths rest. (10) The scattering of the Levites over all the Tribes, had no relation unto the reading of the Law, on the Sabbath day.

CHAPTER - TOUCHING THE KEEPING OF THE SABBATH, FROM THE TIME OF DAVID TO THE MACCABEES. (1) Particular Necessities must give place to the Law of Nature. (2) That Davids flight from Saul, was upon the Sabbath. (3) What David did being King of Israel, in ordering things about the Sabbath. (4) Elijahs flight upon the Sabbath; and what else happened on the Sabbath, in Elijahs time. (5) The limitation of a Sabbath dayes journey, not knowne amongst the Jewes when Elisha lived. (6) The Lord becomes offended with the Jewish Sabbaths; and on what occasion. (7) the Sabbath entertained by the Samaritans, and their strange nicities therein. (8) Whether the Sabbaths were observed during the captivitie. (9) The speciall care of Nehemiah to reforme the Sabbath. (10) The weekely reading of the Law on the Sabbath day, begun by Ezra. (11) No Synagogues nor weekely reading of the Law, during the Government of the Kings. (12) The Scribes and Doctors of the Law, impose new rigours on the people about their Sabbaths.