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A91155	A briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the Lordsday-Sabbath. Wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by Scripture, reason, authorities, in all ages till this present: that the Lordsday begins and ends at evening; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening: against the novel errours, mistakes of such, who groundlesly assert; that it begins and ends at midnight, or day-breaking; and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight, or morning to morning: whose arguments are here examined, refuted as unsound, absurd, frivolous. Compiled in the Tower of London, and now published, for the information, reformation of all contrary judgment or practise. By William Prynne of Swainswick Esq;.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1654 (1654)	Wing P3916; Thomason E814_11	82,955	107

●stendit Vocatur enim Agape id quod penes Graecos dilectio est Non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad Deum praegustetur Editur quantum convenientes capiunt bibitur quantum pudi●is est utile ita saturautur ut qui meminerint etiam PER NOCTEM adorandum sibi Deum esse which shews that they began their Feasts and Christian exercises which he here conjoyns at Evening and continued them all night as Saint Paul and the Disciples at Troas did Which meetings Theophilus Alexandrinus in his Epist. Paschalis 3. 3. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 4. p. 723. calls Vespertina congregatio Post aquam manualem ac LVMINA which manifests they kept their Assemblies by Candle light and so begun them at Evening ut quisquis de scripturis sanctis vel de proprio ingenio potest provocatur in medio Deo canere which a Plinie the second stiles carmenque Christo quasi dicere secum invicem hinc probatur quomodo bibent A●què oratio convivium di●imit Inde lis disceditur non in catervas caesionum neque in Classes discursationum nec in ●ruptiones laseivorum sed ad eandem ●uram modestiae pudicitiae ut qui non tam coenam coenaverint quam disciplinam Which usage well explains this place of the Acts It being apparent then as the subsequent Antiquities will more abundantly manifest that this meeting of the Disciples at Troas and Pauls preaching to them began at Evening The sole doubt will be what evening this was whether that which we call Sunday night as many erroneously mistake or Saturday night which is the Lords-day night if any For my own part I conceive clearly that it was upon Saturday night as we falsely call it not the ensuing Sunday night For admitting the Lords-day was then instituted for a Sabbath which those of the opposite opinions grant and I consent to there will be no great question of it 1. Because if the Christians at Troas observed this first day of the week as their Sabbath no doubt but this their meeting to solemnize it and receive the Sacrament on it was rather that Evening which began than that which ended the Lords-day in their account else they should have begun its solemnization onely when it ended whi●h is improbable But our Sunday Evening on which some affirm this meeting ended not commenced the Lords-day in their account they ever beginning their dayes the Evening before as the premises manifest Therefore this Assembly was on our Saturday Evening there being no mention of any meeting the day or Evening before 2. Because the Christians in the next succeeding ages as I shall prove by the following testimonies did ever begin their Lords-day assemblies and solemnities on Saturday Evening solemnizing it from Evening to Evening because the first observers of it did so Therefore it is more than probable that these Christians at Troas did so too 3. Because Saint Luke records that it was upon the first day of the week when this Meeting was and this Sermon of Pauls made therefore it must needs be on the Saturday not on our Sunday Evening since the Sunday Evenning in S. Lukes and Scripture account was no part of the first but of the second day the day ever beginning and ending at Evening in their computation as the premises evidence 4. All my opposites confesse that the Disciples met at this time upon the first day of purpose to sanctifie it for a-Sabbath and can they then think that they would defer their meeting till our Sunday Evening when all the day in their accompt and the best the chiefest part of it in their compute who begin it at midnight or morning was expired Certainly this had been to make the Lords-day no Festivall day at all or at most not so much as an half-holy day which we cannot presume these Disciples and S. Paul would dodid they observe it as their Sabbath From all which reasons I may more then probably conclude that it was the Saturday Evening when the Lords-day began not the Sunday night when it ended when this Divine Assembly was kept the rather because they received not the Sacrament nor brake this bread till after midnight as the Text affirms and so after the Lords-day ended even in the accompt of such who affirm it ends at midnight And because this beginning of their Assembly when the day begins makes most for the Apostolical divine Institution and sanctification of the Lords day for the which this Text will little avail if this Assembly on it were on our Sunday night when the day was either wholly or for the most part expired and so this meeting no warrant for its totall sanctification But against this it will be objected First that Saint Paul departed from Tro● the very next morning at day-break which he would not have done had it been part of the Lords-day for he would not have taken this journey then l●st he should have prophaned it Besides the Text saith That he was ready to depart on the morrow which signifieth another day not the same therefore this night must needs be our Sunday night his departure being on the morrow to wit on our Monday the next day after it To this I answer First that it is clear by Acts 20. 6. that Saint Paul ●ame to Troas upon the Lords-day For he stayed there seven dayes And upon the first day of the week he thus preacheth till midnight ready to depart in the morning so that the first day was the last of those seven dayes and the first day of the week preceding it the day on which he came to Troas Paul therefore might as well depart on this day from Troas as he came unto it thereon And that without prophanation of the day for he came and went by ship verse 6. 13 14. and so might sanctifie the rest of the day a ship board as our marriners and passengers who sail on the Lords-day as well as other dayes use to do because the wind and ●ide then serving and the ship in which he was to sail being to depart that morning there was a necessity for him then to go a ship board else he might have lost his passage which necessity and circumstance of sai●ing away that day made this his departure on it no violation of the day works of necessity being no breach of the Sabbath as a Christ himself and all Divines resolve the rather here because he might preach and spend the rest of the day in the ship as profitably as on the shore and the Mariners might likewise now set sail the wind and weather serving without prophanation of the day as they still usually do in all places 2. I answer that the Morrow hath a double signification in Scripture Sometimes it is taken for the next b Evening or naturall day Other times it is taken for the next morning or day-light or that which we usually call day in opposition to the

night not for the next naturall day which begins at Evening but the next artificiall day of twelve houres day light which begins at Morning In this sense it is used most commonly in Scripture witnes Levit. 22. 30. When ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord a● your own will on the same day it shall be eaten up ye shall leave none of it untill the morrow compared with Levit. 7. 25. which speaking of the same offering saith He shall not leave any of it till the morning See Exod. 12. 10. c. 16. 19 23 24. where there is the same expression In which Texts the Morrow is nothing else but the morning following for had this offering been at Evening or night when the naturall day begins in Scripture accompt yet they might not have reserved any of it till the Morning for that had been to morrow as morrow is opposed to the night not to the naturall day So in 1 Sam. 19. 11. Saul sent Messengers to Davids house that night to watch and to slay him in the morning and Michall told him saying if thou save not thy life to night to morrow thou shalt b● slain Where morrow is not put for another naturall day that morrow in Scripture and the Jews account being part of that naturall day of which this night was the beginning but onely for the day-light or artificiall day being the same naturall day on which these words were spoken Thus it is used in 2 Sam. 11. 9 12 13 14. Esther 2. 14. So Zeph. 3. 3. Her Judges are Evening-wolves they gnaw not the bones till the morrow that is till the morning following And Acts 23. 31. 32. Then the Souldiers took Paul by night and brought him to An●ipatris on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him In all which places the morrow is put onely in opposition to the preceding night and for the day light following which night and morrow make up the same naturall day not for the beginning of the next en●uing naturall day or for another day Hence the Scripture useth this phrase The morrow after that day or after the Sabbath Levit. 23. 11 15. Josh 5. 12. 1 Chron. 29 21. because there is a morrow opposed to the night wherein a thing is done or spoken which is a part of the same naturall day that the night is In this sence morrow must needs be taken here for this meeting beginning but at night and Paul continuing his Preaching untill midnight following ready to depart on the morrow this morrow was nothing but the next morning which was a part of that fi●st day on which the disciple met as it was a naturall day consisting of twenty four houres and beginning but that Evening not another day of the week or our Monday morning as some affirm This morrow therefore being but the next morning and opposed to the night onely not to the naturall day on which this Assembly was kept at Troas and this night being part of the fi●st day of the w●ek which as a natural day in Scripture accompt b●gan at Evening could be no other but the Lords-day morning not the Monday following and this meeting ●s the promised Reasons prove could be no tim● else but our Sa●u●day night notwithstanding this O●j●ction So that I may safely conclude that Saint Paul and the Christians of Troas the fi●st solemnizers of the Lords-day that we ●ead of did begin its solemnization at Evening not at morning or Midnight Wherefore we ought to begin it then This is my first Authority in point of practise to prove that the Primitive Christians began the Lords-dayes sanctification at Evening My next evidence is that of a Plinie the second who writes thus to the Emperour Trajan concerning the time and manner of the Christians solemnization of the Lords day Soliti erant STATO DIE ANTE LUCEM CONVENIRE carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem Seque SACRAMENTO non in scelus aliquod astringere sed ne furta ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent ne fidem fallerent ne depositum appellati denegarent c. By which it is evident that the Christians in that age a time of persecution and after ages too did b usually meet together to receive the Sacrament and perform their holy Exercises at night when it began to grow dark and concluded them at day-light or about day-break as the disciples did at Troas Acts 20. 7. to 12. which Assemblies some Ecclesiasticall Histories call Antelucani coetus Night-Assemblies or meetings before day light not because they began in the morning about day-break as some would have it but because they both began and ended be●ore day-dawning the Christians in that time of persecution not daring to meet publickly in the day time for fear of apprehension Now this set night on which they kept those Assemblies was not our Sunday but our Saturday night on which our Saviour arose whiles it was dark and in Honour of his Resurrection did they begin and keep their Lords-day solemnization on this night not the night ensuing as is evident by Justin Martyrs second Apology with other ensuing testimonies And these their night conventions were the Occasion of those slanderous imputations which the Gentiles cast upon the Christians c that after their Exercises of Religion ended they did use to put out the lights used to expell the darknesse of the night Acts 20. 8. and then couple promiscuously one with another yea murther and eat up children and commit all manner of villany Since therefore they began their Lords-day exercises at Evening before day light began as this Heathen Authour and all Ecclesiasticall Historians writing of this age accord we need not doubt but the day in their acc●mpt did then begin since they would not begin the exercises of the day till in truth it began My third Authority is that of Tertullian about 200 years after Christ in his A●ol●gy for the Christians c 38 39. the words whereof I have already alledged and de Corona militis c. 3. where he writes thus Eucharistiae Sacramentum in tempore victus mandatum à Domino ANTELVCANIS CAETILVS nec de aliorum manu quam praesidentium sumimus wch expresly shews that the Christians of that age did begin their publick Lords day meetings and Love feasts in the Evening and spending the Saturday night as we falsly deem it in Gods worship receiving the Sacrament and other holy duties which night assemblies he stiles b Nocturnae Convocationes because they spent the greatest part of that night in them nocturnae properly not morning or early risings and mee●ings before day but a watching or fitting up all night without going to bed or taking rest as the common proverb Nocturnae lucubrationes periculosissimae sunt compared with its opposite Adagie Diluculo surgere saluberimum est and Isa. 30. 29. Luke 2. 8. c. 5. 5. c. 6. 12. John 3.

of the day at Evening is ratified by the fourth Commandement a morall and perpetuall precept founded on the very course and L●w of nature at the Creation as most assert Gen. 2. 1 2. 3. For this Commandement enjoyning men b To keep holy the Sabbath day to do no manner of work upon it and to labour six dayes and do all their wor● For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed he Sabbath day and hallowed it doth her● in apparently confirm for ever the beginning ●nd and limits bo●h of dayes and weeks as they were ●●ttled at the Creation For this precept having a retrospect to Gods six dayes work and his seventh dayes rest when he created the world and enjoyning men to work six dayes to rest the seventh day and keep it holy as God did then doth apparantly intimate that these foresaid seven dayes were as so many royall Standards of time by which all subsequent dayes and weeks must be measured which must begin end and have the same dimen●ions with that originall week and those first seven dayes Wherefore since they began and ended at Evening then as I have proved all other dayes likewise must do so by vertue of this command The rather because it prescribes men to finish all their work in six dayes and then to begin their rest when their work ends as God did his but their six dayes work usually c ends at Evening therefore their six days also should then d●termine and their Sabbath or seven dayes r●st begin and so by consequence all the six dayes the Sabbath day and so all dayes for ever should commence and end at Evening so long as this commandement is in being or dayes and weeks shall last Fourthlv The beginning of dayes must needs be immutable because the alteration of it from Evening to morning or midnight which thwarts the Scripture computation would falsisie corrupt many Passages and Texts of Scripture call into question the truh of our Saviours Resurrection on the third day and somewhat alter the Scripture Chronology which is most exact and punctuall neither of which are sufferable by God or Christians Lastly this beginning and close of dayes hath an influence into Gods worship who as he hath prescribed men how so likewise when to worship him to wit especially on the Sabbath which he hath appropriated to himself stiling it his own Sabbath and holy day Exod. 16. 23 25. Levit. 23. 3. Deut. 5. 14. Neh. c. 14. Isa. 58. 13. Exod. 20. 10 c. 31 16. The sanctification therefore of the Sabbath being a part of Gods worship and the Sabbath his own peculiar day * which most hold Christ and his apostles and the Primitive Christians by Gods warrant translated to the Lords day that beginning and limits of it which God hath fixed must not be changed but by God because it would alter both Gods day and worship too To prevent which inconvenience God hath given not onely generall commands to sanctifie this day but likewise a speciall precept to begin and end it at Even Levit. 23. 32. From Even to Even you shall celebrate your Sabbath there being no such particular precept given for the limits of other dayes which are bounded out in more generall termes it being both dangerous and absurd to leave the inception or bounds of the Sabbath arbitrary unto men to begin and end it when they please the day being Gods not theirs the sanctification thereof a speciall part of his service which men have no power to alter or diminish and whatsoever in God● service is not of faith warrantted or prescribed by his word being sinne and will-worship Rom. 14. 23. Col. 2. 18. 20 21 22 23. From all which I may safely affirm that this beginning and ending of dayes at Even especially of the Sabbath day is immutable and so my fourth Conclusion undeniable For the fifth That Christs Resurrection in the morning did no wayes alter the beginning or end of dayes nor yet translate the inception of that day whereon he arose From Evening to morning it is unquestionable First Because this commencement and conclusion of dayes at Evening is immutable as I have manifested in in the fourth Conclusion therefore not altered by Christ● Resurrection Secondly because Christs Passion and Resurrection abolished or changed nothing but that which was typicall and ceremoniall witnesse Gal. 4. 9 10 11. Col. 2. 14. to 22. Acts 15. 24. 28 29. Heb. 9. 10 11. c. 10. 1. 2 9. with the unanimous suffrage of all Divine● But the beginning and end of dayes at Even was no wayes typicall or ceremoniall but rather naturall and morall being instituted at the Creation ratified by the fourth Commandement and immutably fixed for ever as the premise● testifie Therefore it was not abolished or translated by Christs Resurrection or Passion from Evening to morning Thirdly Christ abrogated or changed nothing but what was necessary to be abolished or altered upon warrantable reasons and substantiall grounds See Heb. 8. 6 7 8. c. 9. 9. to 16. c. 10. 1. to 11. Col. 2. 16 17 22 23. Ephes. 2. 15. Gal. 5. 1. to 7. Acts 15. 10. 28. But there was no necessity reason cause or ground at all of altering this begining and end of dayes at Evening therefore Christs Resurrection did not alter or abolish it Fourthly the alteration limitation of times dayes and seasons is a Peculiar Prerogative of God the Father reserved in his own power not in Christs as is manifest by Acts 1. 7. Matth. 24. 36. Mark 13. 32. Levit. 23. 2. c. Psal. 118. 23 24. Exod. 13. 2 3 6 14. Exod. 20. 1 8 10 11. compared with Daniel 2. 20 21. Psal. 74. 16 17. Jer. 33. 20. c. 31. 35. Psal. 136 1. 7 8 9. upon which Priviledge Royall none anciently durst encroach but that presumptuous Horn typifying the Papacy Dan. 7. 25. Christ therefore by his bare Resurrection made no such alteration of the dayes inchoation having no speciall Commission from his Father so to do Fifthly there is not one word or sillable in all the Scripture which either affirms or intimates that Christs Resurrection made any mutation of the beginning or end of dayes neither can any man produce one substantiall reason grounded on Scripture why Christs resurrection should cause such a change as this or why his resurrection should do it rather than his Nativity Passion or Ascension Therefore I may saf●ly conclude that it made no such change untill the contrary can be proved Sixthly the Scripture is expresse that Christs Resurr●ction did no wayes change either the order name or nature of that day whereon he aros● For all the Evangelists speaking of it as Christs Resurrection day in their Histories of the Resurrection penned some space after it ever stile it The first day of the week Math. 28. 1. Mark 16.

duties So that this Councill is a most clear satisfactory proof both in point of Doctrine and practise that the Lords-day ought to begin and end at Evening and was actually so observed by all Christians of this and former ages I wonder therefore why some who think themselves learned should so far for●et themselves as to call it an upstart Novelty not heard of in the Church till now of late it being ever the received doctrine and practise too of all Churches Christians till within 70 years last past My twelfth Proof is the famous English Council at Berghamstede under Withred King of Kent An. Christi 697. in Spelman Concil. Tom. 1. p. 195. Can. 10 11. Si In VESPERA praecedente diem Solis POST QUAM SOL OCCUBUIT aut in Vespera praecedente diem Lunae post oceasum solis fervus ex mandato Domini sui opus aliquod servile egerit Dominus factum 80. Solidis luito Si servus hisce diebus itineraverit Domino pendet 6 solidos ●ut flage●o caedatur Si liber homo id faciat tempore vetito sit reus Collistrigii mulctae qui eum detulerit dimidium habeat tam mulctae tam Wi●gildi By which Law it is most evident that the Lords-day began and ended at Evening after Sun-set and was to be sol●mnized from Evening to Evening without doing any ser●i●e work on Sunday nights after sun set as well as on Saturday nights though the Lords-day then actually determined To which I shall adde that of Venerable B●da our learned Countreyman in his Homily on Matthew 28. verse 1. quoted by Bartholomaeus Brixiensis in his Glosse upon Gratian Distinct 75. In die ista to wit the Lords-day NOCTES INCIPIUNT PRAECEDERE DIES ideo fortè ut tres dies noctes haberi possint in quibus Domin●s fuit in ventro terrae quod nec sic habetur nisi Synechdo●hicè vel declaratur quia Missa non decantatur in Sabbato sed in principio sequentis noctis dicitur Deus qui hanc SACRTISSIMAM NOCTEM c. ita est die Dominica Nox illa A Passage so plain for the Lords days beginning on saturday at Evening that it needs no glosse and this was the doctrine and practise of our Nation then My thirteenth Authority is the Synod of Franckford under Charles the Great famous for the Doctrine of Images therein condemned the 22. Canon whereof apid Achuini opera Col. 1893 resolves our question thus Vt Dies Dominica à vespera usque ad vesperam servetur A direct determina●ion of the point in difference That the Lords-day is to be kept from Evening to Evening My fourteenth probation is the expresse decree of the Emperour Charls the Great himself and Ludovicus Pius Capit l. 6. Tit. 186 apud Fredericum Lindebrogum Codex Legum Antiquarum p. ●●8 apud Bochellum Decret. Ecclesiae Gallicanae l 4. Tit. 3. c. 39. p 589. A Vespera usque ad Vesperam Dies Dominious servetur What can be more full and punctuall than this Which is seconded Capit. l. 1. c 15. as a decree of the Council of Laodicea My fifteenth is Concilium Foro-Juliense under the same Charls c. 13. apud Suriū Tom. 3. p. 266. Diem autem Dominicum Inchoant Noctis initio id est Vespere Sabbati Quae in prima lucescit Sabbati quando signum insonuerit vel Horaest ad Vespertinum celebrandum non propter honorem Sabbati ultimi sed propter sanctam illam Noctem p●imi Sabbati id est Domini●i Diei cum omni reverentia honorifica Religione Venerari omnibus mandamus A Canon so apparent for beginning the Lords-day at Evening that it needs no illustration My fixteenth is the Synod of Towres under the same Charles Canon 40. apud Surium Tom 3 p. 227. Itemque interdicat ne mercata placita usquam fiant die Dominica quâ oportet omnes christianos à servile opere in laude Dei gratiarum actione Usque ad Vesperam perseverare which compared with the former Canons is a direct proof that the Lords-day begins at Evening because then the celebration of it by this Canon is to end My seventeenth is the Council of Mentz Anno 813. recorded by Juo Caruotensis Decretalium par● 4. c. 16. which decres thus Omnes Dies Dominicos à Vespera in Vesperam cum omni veneratione observatione decrevimus observare ab illici●o opere abstinere c. A pregnant testimony in this point My eighteenth is that of H Rabanus Maurus Homil● de Dominicis diebus in his works at large Edit. 1616. Tom. 5. p. 605. where he thus resolves this question on my side Observemus ergo diem Dominicam sanctificemus illam sicut antiquis de sabbato praeceptum est dicente Legislatore A Vespera usque ad Vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra Videamus ne otium nostrum vanum sit Vespera Diei Sabbati usquead Vesperam Diei Dominici sequestrati à rurali opere omni negotio solo divino cultui vacemus To whom I may adde his Coetanian Haymo Halberstattensis Homilia in die Paschatis p 7 8. who there resolves in punctuall termes that the Lords-day begins and ends at Evening not at morning and so ought to be solemnized from Evening to Evening My nineteenth is the Councell of Compendium apud Radulphum Tungrensem de Canonum observantia Propositio 15. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 11. p. 445. F. Tom. 14. p. 242. apud Alexandrum Alesium Summa Theologiae pars 3. Quaest 31. Artic. 2. p. 145. Both these Authors being of the same judgement with this Councell which decrees thus Omnes Dies Dominicos à Vespera usque ad Vesperam omni v●neratione devotione observari c. words most direct in point My twentieth is the Authority of Amalarius Fortunatus Bishop of Triers who flourished about the year 920. De Ecclesiasticis officiis lib. 1 c. 12. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 9. pars 1. p. 311. F. Dominica Nox in magna gloria celebratur ut liquet omnibus qui morem nostrae Eccl●siae ●enent Unde Augustinus ex Sermone ad Populum vigiliis Paschae Deinde Sabbati Dies à sua nocte incip●ens finitus est vespere incipienti● noctis Quae pertinet ad imtium Diei Dominicae quoniam Eam Dominus suae Resurrectionis gloria consecravit Illius itaque Noctis ad in●tium Diei Dominicae pertinentis nunc istam solenniter memoriam celebramus What can be more plain to testifie that both in the judgement and practise of that age the Lords-day did begin and end at Evening and that Christ by his Resurrection consecrated this night for his service not the Morning and day following it onely excluding it My 21. is the Ecclesiasticall Laws of Edgar and Canuius two ancient Kings of this Island recorded in Lambards Saxon Laws and in

2. Gen. 31. 39 40. Num. 14. 1. Josh. 10. 5. Prov. 31. 18. Psal. 119. 75. with other Scriptures testifie But to passe by examples and come to direct Authorities 4. My fourth testimony is that of Athanasius the great Anti-Arrian Bishop of Alexandria Quaestiones ad Antiochum Quaest 52 53. p. 380. Neque contra nos afferrent Judaei quod in Sabbat● surrexerit Christus ideo eorum or a longe ant● obturavit Deus lege illis data ut A VESPERA OR●INENTVR DIEM SABBA●I Cur hanc ●b causam nobis Deus praecepit A VESPERA SABBATI ORDIRI DOMINICUM Responsio Non ob eam causam sed postquam Deus Gentes ex tenebris ignorantiae ex lege ad Lucem cognitionis Dei Evangelii vocavit Convenienter san● nobis PRAECEPII Resurrectionis ipsius diem A VESPERA INCHOARE ad Lucem perducere INDECORUM enim INCONCINNUM FUERAT A LUCE ORDIRI in noctem tenebris desinere Christi verae lueis dies A most express resolution that the Lords-day ought to begin from Saturday Evening and that it is both unseem●y and unfit to begin it from the morning Answerable to which is that of Anselm Enarrationes in Math. 28. v. 1. 2 Operum Tom. 1. p. 116. O do temporum habet ve●peran magis tenebrescere in noctem qu●● lucescere in di●m sec mysticè dicit lucescere pro gloria resu●●●●●ionis immin●n●is Huc usq●e dies noctem dicebatur praecece●● Nune ordo mutatur NOX QUA SURREXIT D●E● QUA SE OSTENDIT ADJUNCTA EST. Et congruè●● us drem nox s●●u●batur quia à luce homo in tenebr as cecide●●● NUNC VERO DIES SEQUITUR NOTEM quia per Resurectionem à peceatis ad vitam reducimur Which Passage is almost verbatim recorded by Haymo Halberstatensis Homiliar um pars Aestivalis Coloniae 1531. Hom. in die sancto Paschatis p. 7. 8. and by Christianus Grammaticus Expositio in Matthaeum Evangelistam c. 28 v. 1. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 9. pars 1. p. 491. D. E. by Zacharias Crysopolitanus in unam ex quatuor Bibl Patrum Tom. 12 p●rs 1. p. 203 204. A. Isidor Hispalensis de natura ●erum c. 1. p. 246. Gratian sentent l 2 Distinct 13. E. and others My fifth Authority is ●●● C●uncil of Laodicea about the year of Christ 360. whic● as i● first setled the observation of the Lords-day and prohibited abolished the keeping of the Jewish S●●b●●h under an Anathem● Can. 49. fo●●●i●ed So it th●● posi●ively determined Vt A VESPERA USQUE AD VESPERAM DIES DOMINICA SERVETUR as is recorded Capit. Caroli Ludovici Imperatorum lib. 1. c. 15. collected by Ansegisus Benedictus Levita Fredericus Lindebrogus Codex Legum Autiquarum p. 833. My sixth Evidence is the expresse testimony and resolution of Saint Augustine the eminentest of all the Fathers De Tempore Sermo 251. Observemus ergo diem Dominicam Fratres * sanctificemus illam si●ut antiquis praeceptum est de Sabbato Levit. 23. 32. A VESPERA USQUE AD VESPERAM celebrabitis Sabbata vestra Videamus ne otium nostrum vacuum sit Sed A VESPERA DIEI SABBATI USQUE AD VESPERAM DIEI DOMINICAE sequestrati à ruralt opere ab omni negotio solo divino cu●●ui vacemus Ve●iat ergo cu●cunque possibile sit ad VESPE●●NAM atque NOCTVRNAM CELEBRATIONEM ●r●t ibi incouveniu Ecclesiae pro peceatis suis D●um c. An authority so full for the celebration of the Lords day from Evening to Evening in that age that it cannot be shifted nor avoyd●d and a direct resolution in expresse Terms of our present Qu●stion My seventh is Pope Leo the first Epistolarum Decretalium Epistola 79. which y●u shall find in the second part of his own works in Juo Carnotensis Decretalium pars 6. c. 71. Gratian Distinctio 75. de Consecratione Distinctio 3. in Surius Conciliorum Tom. 1 p. 789. where he thus resolves our Question Quod ergo à patribus nostris propensiore cura novimus esse servatum à vobis quoque volumus custodiri ut non passim diebus omnibus Sacerdotalis ordinatio celebretur sed post diem Sabbati ejusdem noctis quae in prima Sabbati lucescit exordia deligantur hoc est sub Lege Divini officii substiuantur in quibus his qui consecrandi sunt jejunis ●ejunantibus Sacra benedictio conferatur Quod ejusdem observantiae erit si mane ipso Dominico die continuato Sabbati jejunio celebratur à quo tempore PRAECEDENTIS NOCTIS INITIA NON RECEDUNT QUAM AD DIEM RESURRECTIONIS sicut etiam in Poscha Domini de laratur PERTINERE NON EST DUBIUM So that it was past all dis●ure and doubt in his time that the Lords day began at Evening and that our Saturday night was part of it Then it follows Nunquam benedictiones nisi in Die Demini●ae Resurrectionis tribuuntur a CUI A VESPERE SABBATI INITIUM CONSTAT ASSCRIBI From which Text of his Juo Carnotensis Anno Dom 1100 Gr●tian Anno 1170. in their for●n●med pl●ces together with Panormitan Antonius de Bru●io Joannis Thye●ey Bartholomeus Brixiensis and all other Can●nists in their Glosses on the fore-quoted Texts of Gratian where these words of Leo are recited resolve without dispute QUOD DIES DOMINICA INITI UM HABET A VESPERA SABBATI quod probat per consuetudinem etiam per doctrinam Apostolicam Quod VESPERA PRAECEDENTIS NOCTIS TRAHITUR ADDIEM SEQUENTEM ut sive de vespere in Sabbato sive de mane in Dominico ordines conferantur semper in die Dominico videantur conferri All of them according that the Lords-day begins and ends at Euening not at morning or Midnight A truth so clear in that age as it was past all doubt the b Scots and Irish Christians about the year 597. and before beginning the Lords-day at Evening as Bishop Vsher attests My eighth Testimony is the second Council of Mascon Canon 1. apud Surium Concil. Tom. 2. pag. 682 683. Custodite diem Dominicam quae nos denuò peperit à peccatis omnibus liberavit Nullus vestrum litium fomitibus vacet c. Estote omnes hymnis laudibus Dei animo corporeque intenti Si quis vestrum proximam habet Ecclesiam properet ad eam ibi Dominico die semetipsum precibus lachry misque afficiat Sint oculi manusque vestri toto illo die ad Deum expansae Then it follows NOCTEM QUOQVE IPSAM quae nos insperatae luci inaccessibili reddidit to wit our Saturday night before Easter on which Christ rose again SPIRITUALIBUS EXIGAMUS EXCVBIIS NEC DORMIAMUS IN EA SED OREMUS VIG●LEMUS OPERIBUS SACRIS ut digni haberemur cohaeredes fieri in regno Servatoris Which Canon proves that the Christians of

that age did solemnize our Saturday night before Easter especially and sp●nd it all in holy vigils prayers and religious exercises because Christ rose upon it accounting it a part of the Lords-d●y and beginning their Lords-day exercises on it not on our Sunday night My ninth Proof is the fourth Council of Toledo in Sp●in Canon 8. Apud Surium Tom. 2. p 729 Lucerna Cereus in pervigiliis apud quasdam Ecclesias non benedicuntur eur à nobis benedicantur inquirunt Propter GLORIOSVM enim NOCTIS ILLIUS SACRAMENTUM hae● sol mniter benedicimus ut SACRAMENTUM SACRAE RESURRECTION●S CHRISTI MYSTERIUM QUOD TEMPORE HUIUS NOCTIS VOTIVE ADVENIT BENEDICTIONEM SUSCIPIAMUS Et quia haec observatio per multarum loca terrarum Regionesque Hispaniae in Eccles●is commendatur dignum est ut propter unitatem pacis Gallicanis Eccles●is conservetur Nulli autem impune erit qui hoc contempserit sed Patrum regulis sub acebit By which Canon it is most apparent that the Christians of this age did solem●ize our Saturday night with holy vi●ils prayers and exercises of Religion beginning their Publick Assemblies and Lords-dayes duties on it because the glorious Sacrament and Mystery of Christs Resuriection hapned on it the blessing whereof they expected to r●ceive by this nights sanctification Therefore questionlesse they began their Lords-day at Evening and made this night onely not our Sunday night parcell of it because Christ in their accompt did rise again upon it Neither was the celebration of this night the practise onely of some few private Churches but of all Christian Churches in that centurie since this Councell layes it down as a prevailing argument why all Churches should consecrate their Candles and Tapers on it as well as the Spanish Church and Churches in France which had been no motive at all had not the solemnization of this night in memory of Christs Resurrection been universall though the superstitious Ceremonie of Hallowing Lights and Tapers on it was not so Which general received practise of solemnizing this night spending it thus in vigils prayrs even from the apostles time till long after this Councill is a satisfactory argument to me that Saint Pauls and the Disciples meeting at Troas upon the first say of the week where they spent the whole night together in preaching and other Christian exercises Acts 20. 1 9 10 11 was on our Saturday not Sunday night it being no doubt the originall pattern from whence this custome sprung which this Councill mentions My tenth Evidence is the expresse inanswerable Authority of Anastatius Sinaita Anagogicarum Contemplationum lib. 2. Quaest. 86. 152. 153. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 6. pars 1. p. 634. E. 778. 795. Propterea Scriptura tenebras ponit ante lucem quoniam prius eramus in errore deinde transeamus ad lucem Propterea PRIOR EST VESPERA DEINDE DIES LEGE EST CONSTITUTUM it seems there was then some expresse Law and Canon for i● in force as these forecited UT INCIPERETUR A VESPERA DOMINICA quoniam à morte objeu●a proce ●imus ad lacem Resurrectionis NOS DOMINICAM A VESPERA SABBATI AUSPICAMUR so that ●● was the constant practise of Christians in that age to begin the Lords day on Saturday at Evening QUEMLIBET D●EM A VESPERA COMPUTARE ET CUM PRAE●EDENTE NOCTE SEU UNUM COPU●●RE SOLEMUS which last word implies a constant Custome in that time Sedenim Moyses vaeationem à laboribus in Sabbato it a d●scripsit VT ET RAECEDENTE NOCTE ET SEQVENTI DIE OTIVM AGERENT Testes do Judees QVI VSQVE INHODIERNVM DIEM ID OBSRVANT Qui●pe qui non illam noctem quae Sabbatum subsequitur SED illā QVAE ANTEGREDITVR cessatione ab operibus quiete colunt this therefore was and is the Jewish and Scripture computation ET NOS IN OBSERVATIONE DIEI DOMINICI PRAECEDENTEM NOCTEM TANQUAM CUM DIE COPULATAM ET NON SEQUENTEM NOCTEM VENERAMUR An Evidence so expresse so punctuall as may satisfie all the Opposites and cannot be evaded My eleventh Testimony is the positive Resolution of an whole Generall Council and so by consequence of all Christian Churches in that age to wit the sixth Generall Councill of Constantinople Can. 56 Surius Conciliorum Tom. 2. p. 1052. Dominicis genu flectere à divinis nostris PATRIEVS Christi Resurrectionem honorantibus canonicè accepimus The first generall Councill of Nice Canon 20. having so decreed Ne ergo hujus observationis evidentiam ignoremus fidelibus manifestum fa●imus QUOD POST VESPERTINUM SACERDOTUM AD ALTARE SABBATO INGRESSUM EX CONSUE●UDINE QUAE SERVATUR NEMO GENU FLECTIT USQUE AD SEQUENTEM VESPE●AM IN QUA POST INGRESSUM IN VESPERTINO SEU COMPLETORIO GENUA RURSUS FLECTENTES DOMINO PRECES OFFERIMUS Servatoris enim nostri Resurrectionis veluti praecursorem NOCTEM quae suit ante Sabbatum accipientes HYMNIS AB EA SPIRITV ALITER INCIPIMVS Festum ex tenebris in lucem finientes ut in persecto ae integro DIE AC NOTCE nos Resurrectionem celebremus A most full unanswerable Authority if a li●tle explained It was the received Custome of the Primitive Church as this Canon all Antiquity witnes to pray standing not kneeling all the whole Lords-day in memory of our Saviou●s Resurrection standing up again from the dead Whence these their Lords-day Exercises were called * Stationes à stando in English Stations because they ever stood and never kneeled in them Now this Custome of praying standing used onely on the Lords-day and between E●ster and Ascension day began and ended with the day The question then will be when and at what time of the day this praying standing began and ended This Canon resolves it in plain terms and that by way of Declaration onely not of new Constitution that all the Churches and Christians of this age ex consuetudine quae s●rvatur even by an ancient long continued Custome received from the Christians and Church●s of former ages and then observed onely not begun did alwayes begin to pray standing after their Saturday Vespers or Evening prayers were ended to wit at the time of the Evening when the day in divine and naturall accompt begins and concluded them after the Lords-day Vespers or complein ended to wit the Lords-day at Evening when the Lords day doth properly and truly end By which it is most apparent that they began and e●d●d their Lords-day and Lords-day exercises at Evening not at morning or Midnight and that it was the constant custome of all Christians in former ages so to do Again it assures us that it was the custome of all Churches then and in foregoing times to couple the Saturday night and the Lords-day together and to solemnize them in memory of Christs Resurrection as one intire Lords-day b●●inning and spending all the Saturday night with Hymnes and spirituall