Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	day_n	holy_a	week_n	1,884	5	10.1877	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
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

beginning of that day whereon he arose from Evening to Morning Therefore the Lords-day ought to be kept from Evening to E●vening not from morning to morning or midnight to midnight What can be truly and substantially replyed to these five Arguments I cannot conjecture they being of sufficient weight to oversway the ballance of this Controversie Now to clear this truth more fully I shall to these five Arguments accumulate ten reasons more proving that the Sabbath and Lords day ought to begin at Evening First because this inception of the Sabbath and Lords day is most suitable to the nature of these dayes For the Sabbath being nothing else in proper speech but a day of rest and being oft times stiled in Scripture a Sabbath of rest Exod. 16. 23. c. 23. 12. c. 31. 15. c 34. 21. c. 35. 2 Levi. 16. 31. c. 23. 3. 32. c. 15. c. 25. 21. c. 34. 21. Deut. 5. 14. both man and beast being enjoyned to rest from their labours on this day it is most agreeable to reason and the equality of the day that this resting day should begin at Evening when men naturally and customarily begin their rest and end their labours rather than at morning when they commonly begin their work or at Midnight when as they are in the mid●est of their rest and sl●ep For when can a day of rest so aptly commence as when men begin their rest their resting on it from other labors being one part of the solemn zation of it This therefore being the fittest time to begin the day no doubt but God who doth all things wisely and in the * aptest season hath ordered that it should then commence ●s I have manifested in the foregoing Conclusions it being most proportionable to the nature of the day Secondly this commencement is most agreeable to Gods own example and to the fourth Commandement for God began his seven dayes rest i so soon as ever he ceased from his six dayes works of Creation Gen. 2. 1 2. 3. Exod. 20. 9 10. yea the fourth Commandement prescribing us to labour six dayes and to do all our work and to rest the seventh day implies that we should b●gin our Sabbath dayes rest when as we finish our six dayes wo●k and that is at Evening not at morning or midnight Therefore we should then commence our sanctification of it and rest upon it Thirdly this beginning of the Sabbath and Lords-day is every way best for men as most consonant to the course of nature and their common practise for men naturally and customarily and that by Gods own appointment and the Scriptures approbation end their weekday labours at Evening and b●gin their rest at k or night witnes Ps. 124. 22 23. The Sun ariseth man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour untill the Evening John 9. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me whiles it is called to day the night cometh when no man can work Judg 19. 16. Behold there came an old man from his work out of the field at Evening Z●ph 2. 7 In the houses of Askelon they shal lie down in the Evening 1 Thess. 5. 7 Those that sleep sleep in the night together with Gen. 19. 1 2. Exod. 18 14. Gen. 2● 11. Numb 29. 19. Levit. 19. 13. N●b 4. 21 Judg. 19. 4. 11. Eccle● 2. 23 Num 22 21. Judg. 9. 33. c. 20. 19. c. 19. 8. Hos. 7. 6. Is 5. 11. whereas as by a natural insti●ct and Gods command they usually begin their work in the morning not their rest as is evid●nt by Eccles 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed Mat. 20. 1 2 3. The Kingdome of heaven is like to a man that is an housholder which went out early in the morning to hire Labourers into his vineyard and by Gen. 19. 15 c. 28. 24. 54 44. 3. Exod. 20. 1. c. 18. 14. Judg. 20. 19. Ruth 3. 13 14. Psal. ● 27. 2. 1 Chron. 23 30. Mat. 27. 1. Psal. 104. 22. 23 Now the Sabbath being a day of rest from labour and being likewise made for man no●man for it Mark 2 27. and men naturally and ustomarily in all ages all ●l●ces by Gods own ordination determining their weekly labours and beginning their rest at Evening it is most fit mo●● proper and convenient in respect of men and this their naturall use that the Sabbath and Lords day should begin at Evening when as they voluntarily and naturally ce●se their secular labours and devote themselves to r●st But most unsuitable and inconvenient to begin it in the morning the time when work begins or at midnight when half their rest is past Neither is this reason to be sl●ighted For all things being made l for man and the Sabbath too no doubt but God did accommodate and suit them in such manner as should be most commodious and convenient for men and most consonant to the naturall course of their affairs This Inchoation therefore of the Sabbath and Lords-day being most proportionable to the naturall order of mens working and rest and so the more easie and possible to be observed by them is no doubt the truest the properest of all others and therefore ought to be embraced 4. That the beginning of the Sabbath and Lord-day which is easiest for Christians to observe and doth best of all begin the sanctification of them is questionlesse the best the tru●st But this beginning them at Evening is such 1. Because men then naturally end their worldly imployments and begin their rest ●ven of their own accord without constraint and what so easie as that which is naturally and voluntary 2. Because all men that have any Religion or shew of Christianity in them do then constantly fall to their private devotions and family duties the Evening being a fit time for holy meditations prayers and religious exercises Gen. 24. 63. 1 Chron. 16. 14. 2 Chron. 13. 11. Psal. 55. 47. Psal. 65. 8 Dan. 9. 21. Now what time so fit to begin the Sabbath and Lords-day appropriated n wholly to Gods worship as that whereon most Christians voluntarily and constantly apply themselves unto his immediate Service in their closets or in their familie devotions 3. These dayes are dayes of o holynesse and being such ought alwayes to begin and end with holy duties Every Christian will grant it fitting and convenient if not necessary that the Lords day should be begun and ended with private and continued with holy publick exercises suitable to the day Which being so if it should begin and end at Midnight what Christians usually do or can conveniently begin end it thus they being then at rest yea * fast asleep in their beds that by the course of nature and Gods own appointment without any sinne at all 1 Thes. 5. 7. Mat. 25. 5 6. c. 26. 45. And for men to be tied to rise up at midnight or to sit up til then to begin then the Lords-day

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.

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-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

our Sunday nights though of many on our Saturday night as I have proved besides this alone if on it As therefore one Swallow makes no Summer so this one singular example makes no President for the usuall beginning and concluding of the Lords-day at Morning or Midnight Thirdly It is abare example but of one Apostle without any precept to back it therefore it can be no conclusive proof that the Lords-day ought to begin at morning or midnight and he● to ●●d Fourthly The beginning or ending of a S●●m●n or one publick meeting ●ay the co●st●● practis● of all Churches and places from the beginning and ending their publick Lords day exer●i●●● which is much more is no concluding Argument of it self 〈◊〉 to p●●v● the true beginning and end of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 Lords-day For the Jews themselves 〈◊〉 Christ him●●●●●nd the Apostles began their publick S●●m●ns and 〈◊〉 on the Sabbath day about eight or nine of the clock in the morning and concluded them ●●out four or five in the afternoon as we and all other Churches ●ow use to begin and end our publick Lords-d●●es solemnities can or will any man ther●fo●e hence 〈…〉 E●go the seventh days Sabbath and our Lords-day begin not till nine in the morning and conclude at five in the Evening because the publick Ass●m●l●s on 〈◊〉 do then usually begin and determine N●● v●●ily ●or this were to make the Seventh day Sabbath and Lords-day consisting each of them of a naturall day of 24 houres length not above eight or nine hours long and scarce so much as half holy dayes and to abandon all private Sabbath and lords-Lords-dayes duties in allowing no time at all for them If then the customary constant cause of our beginning and concluding publick Sermons with other solemn exercises and Assemblies on the Sabbath or Lords-day are no sufficient Argument that the Sabbath or Lords-day commence or determine when these publick Sermons Exercises and Assemblies do much lesse can this extraordinary singular Sermon of Saint Paul continued untill Midnight or the prorogation of this Assembly at Troas till the morning of themselves alone inferre this Conclusion that the Lords-day begins or ends at Midnight or morning Fifthly it appears not by the Text that Saint Paul preached untill Midnight and continued this Assembly till day breaking for this very reason because the Lords-day ended not till then There is no such thing as this insinuated by Saint Luke but the reason of it is plainly expressed to be Pauls departure from thence the ensuing morning never to see their faces more and Saint Lukes drift in recording this Story is not to signifie when the Lords-day properly begins and determines but onely as an Historian truly to relate the Apostles Actions and to record Pauls industry in preaching upon all occasions with his love to the disciples at Troas and their respects to him and his miraculous restoring Eutychus to life who fell down dead from the third L●ft whiles he was preaching Therefore it can be no infallible Argument to prove that the Lords-day begins or ends at Morning much lesse at Midnight since they brake brend and did eat and communicate together till the morning Sixthly I would demand of the Objectors when this Assemb●y at Troas began If at Morning or Midnight before that is improbable since we cannot imagine that Paul made a Sermon at that time of 18 or 20 hours long half of which would have tyred both himself and his Auditors If not before our Sunday at Evening as they pretend then it is a stronger Argument to prove that the Lordsday begins not till Sunday evening because St. Paul and the Disciples at Troas met not together to solemnize it till then then that it ends and so by consequence begins at morning or midnight because this Assembly dissolved not till morning and Paul continued his preaching untill midnight Seventhly If this example conclude any thing positively for the Objectors it is onely this That they should continue their ordinary Lordsday Evening Sermons untill Midnight and their Assemblies till day breaking as St. Paul and the Disciples did here This inference following directly from this example without any straining far better then theirs from it doth that the Lordsday begins and ends at Midnight or Morning But this inference I suppose they will all disclaim in words as they do in practice as being a Nonsequitur because this example was but singular and extraordinary upon a speciall occasion Therefore by the self same reason they must disclaim their present Objections too or else subscribe to this my inference which they cannot avoid unlesse they quite renounce their own Lastly its clear St. Paul used to preach both in season and out of season exhorting Timothy and other Ministers to do the like 2 Tim. 4. 2. that is as most interpret it to preach both upon Lordsdayes and all other daies and nights too as he saw occasion Why then might not his Sermon at Troas begin upon the Lordsday at Evening about our Evening Sermon time and yet continue till the Lordsday was past Certainly there is no impossibility nor improbability but it might so Since therefore this text of St. Luke informs us onely that this Meeting and Sermon began upon the First day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread that the Sermon lasted till midnight and the Assembly till day break following without any expression that the Firstday was then continuing or ended admitting this Assembly and Sermon to be on our Sunday night which I absolutly deny yet it follows not that the First day ended not in St. Lukes accompt and theirs at Troas before the Sermon or Assembly concluded So that this example proves nothing at all for the Opponents Thesis nor any thing against mine for which it is a concluding evidence if rightly understood as I have formerly manifested The 5. Objection for the Lordsdayes beginning at morning and against its Evening commencement is this That the beginning of it at Evening would open a wide gap to all licentiousnes Pastimes Disorders on Lordsday after-noons and likewise to secular imployments unsuitable to the day which the beginning of it at morning would prevent To this I answer First that this Objection is a meer Cavill For we see by wofull experience that the Doctrine of the Lordsdays beginning in the Morning which is and hath been generally received of late years in most places of the Kingdome hath no wayes prevented remedied any of the Abuses objected on Lordsday Evenings which dissolute persons who make no consci●nce of sanctifying all the day will alike prophane and all godly people equally sanctifie let the day begin and end at Evening at Sunset or Starshining And there are none who out of Conscience sanctifie and forebear to prophane them now but would equally sanctifie those Evenings too did they believe the day to conclude at Evening since they would be sure to sanctifie all the day This objected

to reply to one grand Exception against that place of Levit. 23. 32. From Evening to Evening y●u shall celebrate your Sabbath a principall Text to prove that the seventh day Sabbath and so our Christian Lords-day or Sabbath as it is called ought to begin and end at Evening To which some reply that this Text speaks onely of the Sabbath of attonement which was but Ceremoniall not of the seventh day Sabbath therefore it is no Argument or Proof at all that the seventh day Sabbath or Lords-day succeeding it should begin and end at Evening To which I reply First that it is true this Text is meant more particularly of the Sabbath of attonement to which it is here specially applyed but yet it extends withall to the seventh day Sabbath which all confesse did ever begin and end at Evening from whence it received both its name of Sabbath and its limitation too both for the manner and time of its sanctification as is clear by verse 27 28 29 30. 31 32. compared together For 1. This Sabbath of Attonement was to be a Sabbath and so the same in appellation as the seventh day Sabbath verse 27 28 32. 2. It was to be but a Sabbath of one dayes space and no more to wit the tenth day of the seventh moneth verse 27. as the seventh day Sabbath was 3. It was to be sanctified and solemnized in the same manner as the seventh day Sabbath For 1. It was to be an holy Cnnvocation unto them v. 27. that is they must meet and keep publick religious holy Assemblies on it do holy duties as the seventh day Sabbath was verse 2 3. 2. They must rest and do no manner of work upon it verse 28 30 31 32. as they were commanded to do on the seventh day Sabbath Exod. 20. 9. 10 c 23. 12. c. 31. 15. c. 35. 2. D●ut. 5. 13 14 15. neither might themselves or the strangers within their gates do any work thereon Levit. 16 29. as they might n●t do on the seventh day Sabbath Exod. 20. 10 11. 3. They must offer a burnt offering to the Lord on this Sabbath verse 27. as they were to do every seventh day Sabbath Numb. 2● 9 10. 4. This Sabbath of Attonement was to cleanse them from all their sins before the Lord and make them holy Levit 16. 31. as the seventh d●y Sabbath was both a means and sign of Gods fanctifying them Exod. 31. 13. Ez. ch. 20. 22. 5. He that did any work on this Sabbath of Attonement was to be cut off from his people verse 30 as he was to be that did any work on the seventh day Sabbath Exod. 31. 14 15. Num. 15. 32 35 36. 6. On this Sabbath of Attonement they must afflict their souls v. 27. 32. as on th●seventh day Sabbath they were to do though not so solemnly as on this by confessing their sinnes and by not doing their own wayes nor finding or doing their own pleasure thereon Isa. 58. 13. By all which particulars it is manifest that this Sabbath of Attonement was in most things most exactly squared regulated by the seventh day Sabbath as the Sampler by the Copy or the picture by the person drawen participating with it both in its name use sanctification The sole Querie or doubt remaining to be cleared is when all this is to be done or at what time of the day this Sabbath of Attonement should begin and end God therefore resolves this scruple in the words alledged From Even to Even shall ye rest or celebrate your Sabbath that is in eff●ct you shall keep it from Evening to Evening as vou do the seventh day Sabbath which begins and ends at Evening so that the seventh day Sabbath being here propounded for the onely pattern by which this Sabbath of Attonement was squared and this being to begin and end at Even because the seventh day Sabbath did as all acknowledge and I have prov●d this Text in my conceit is a pregnant unavoidable Argument for the seventh day Sabbaths solemnization from Evening to Evening as well as for the Sabbath of Attonements beginning and concluding at Evening whence Saint Augustine with sundry Councels and Authorities forequoted apply this Text to the seventh day Sabbath and Lords-day as setting out bounds to them as well as to the Sabbath of Attonement 2. I answer that this Sabbath of Attonement was confined to the tenth day of the seventh moneth verse 27. and to be kept upon that day since therefore it was confined to that very day and to be solemnized from Evening to Evening it is apparant that that day as a naturall day began and ended at Even in Divine accompt and if that day as a naturall day began and ended at Even then by consequence all other dayes being all of one proportion and one ever beginning when the other ends began and ended at Evening Therefore the seventh day Sabbath too appropriated to the seventh day So that take it which way you please it is an unavoidable proof that all Sabbath dayes and the seventh day Sabbath begin and end at Evening in Divine Computation therefore the Lords-day must do so too being a Sabbath of sacred rest as all our Opposites resolve and confined to the first dayes limits which as a naturall day commenceth and determines onely at Even in naturall divine and true accompt and as a sacred day of P●est ● denoted to Gods service I have now as succinctly and perspicuously as I could waded through this present Controversie At what time the Lords-day ought to begin and end and if my Judgement fail me not I conceive I have sufficiently manifested it to commence and conclude at Evening immediately after Sunset or so soon as the Evening-star begins to appear not at morning or midnight If the Truth shall prove on my side upon the debate I desire it may captivate the contrary mistakes and certifie both the judgement and practise of all such zealous Christians who are yet differently minded If the error be on my side as I am yet fully resolved it is not I shall be glad to be first informed then reformed by men of graver judgements desiring a to do nothing against but for the truth for which I shall ever contend to which I shall ever subscribe reputing it my greatest felicity to conquer with it or to be conquered by it and if occasion require to suffer chearfully gladly for it FINIS Errata PAge 2. l. 3 4. at Evening in pag. 10. l. 34. dele may pag. 12. l. 10. dele but part pag. 21. l. 6. r. is l. 36. read quality pag. 23. l. 29. dele the l. 36. naturall pag. 25. l. 36. r. of p. 26. l. 13. applicas l. 21. r. Summa l. 33. Cordubiensis l. 36. Covarravias p. 27. l. 21. pauper l. 26. totaliter l. 31. r. assert p. 28. l. 3. r. commanding p. 31. l. 11. ages p. 37. l. 24 r. ei● p. 44. l. 12. r. noctem p. 50.

in times of Popery all of them resolving the fourth Commandement to be Morall still in force obliging all Christians under the Gospel to the weekly observation and sanctification of the intire Lords-day That TOTVS ILLE DIES TVTALITER DIVINO CVLTVI APPLICANDVS EST NIHIL ALIUD AGENDUM NISI DEO VACANDUM and that because DIES INTEGER SABBATUM TOTUM cultui divino SACRATUR not two or three hours of it onely devoted to the publick exercise of Gods worship in the Church as some new * Doctors assent who allot the rest to Sports Pastimes and wordly labours or affairs being more lic●ntious and prophane than Papists in this point who are generally as strict as the greatest Puritane writers in their Doctrines for their intire sanctification of the Lords day and against the use of all ordinary labours sports pastimes dancing enterludes and carnall pleasures on it or any part thereof even from Evening to Evening when they begin and end it Now if the Lords-day it self be thus to be sanctified and solemnized by Christiaans even by the equity and Morality of the fourth Commaudement it self literally commencing onely the sanctification of the seuenth day Sabbath which began and ended alwayes at Evening Then it must by the very equity and morality of the sourth Commandement be sanctified and solemnized by Christians from Evening to Evening as the seventh dae Sabbath was both by Jews and Christians heretofore by vertue of this Precept which Reason our Opposites can no wayes evade 6. Our opposites themselves apply all Texts and precepts in the Old Testament for the sanctification of the seuenth day Sabbath unto the Lords-day Sabbath as being all one with it in substance Why then should they or any other reject that Text of Levit. 23. 32. From Even to Even ye shall celebrate your Sabbath refuse the usuall Scripture computation of the beginning and ending all dayes all Festivalls at Evening and affix a new incep●ion or ●nd to the Lord-day and all other dayes too at Morning or midnight which the sacred Writ doth no wayes warrant As therefore they apply most other things concerning the seventh day Sabbath to the Lords day so must they now the time and Texts for its beginning too unlesse they can give good Scripture reasons for it which no man can do 7. The beginning of the Lords-day and Sabbath at Evening as soon as the Sun sets or the Evening-star begins to shine as it is most certain whereas the beginning of it from the hour or moment of Christs Resurrection which is not certainly known nor expressed by the Evangelists is arbitrary and uncertain and so not to be embraced so is it m●st consonant to that rest or Sabbath in heaven of which these Sabbaths are a reall type Heb. 4. to 11. For our heavenly Sabbath ever begins in the very Evening and Sunset of our dayes when death puts a period to them Rev 14. 13. Job 3. 17 18. or at least at the Evening and period of this world when dayes shal be no longer Rev. 10. 6 7. Therefore by the analogy of the type to the substance those Sabbaths should begin at Evening too when the day-light ends the rather because the Evening usually puts an end to our Labours and begins our ordinary rest as death the Evening of our dayes concludes our earthly toyls and travels and commenceth our heavenly rest Rev. 14. 13. 8. This beginning of the Sabbath and Lords day at Evening doth best prepare men for the sanctification and duties of it and most of all prevent the profanation of it For first it makes men to put a timely period to their weekly labours on Saturday Evening and then to begin the sanctification of it with private meditations prayer singing of Psalms reading the Scriptures catcchifing of their children and families examination of their own hearts and wayes and such like holy duties where as the Doctrines of its beginning at midnight or morning light as wofull evperience witnesseth makes many spend a great part of the Satturday Evening and night when the Sabbath and Lords-day begin in true calculation especially in Cities and market Towns in buying selling drinking gaming who●ing and such like worldly or carnall imployments which this Doctrine of its commencement at Evening would easily redresse 2. It causeth men to go to bed and take their rest In due season to rise the more early in the morning to come to the publick duties of Gods Worship with greater chearfulnesse and better Preparation and so to receive more profit by them to resort more timely to the Church to dispatch their own private devotions before they go to the publick Assemblies and to be every way more holy and active wheras the other Midnight or morning inception of it makes Trades men others to set up Saturday nights as we erroneously both call and repute them very late about secular or vi●ious sinfull imployments there being more sinnes for the most part and disordrs committed that Evening and night then on any or all the other six to lie long in bed the Lords day morning to come very late to Church or not at all to repair to publick duties without any or at least with small preparation bringing along with them heads and hearts full of worldly cares of sinfull thoughts of unlamented iniquities and as full of deadnesse and drowsinesse which makes them either to sleep out prayers and Sermons too or not to observe and mind them as they ought all which the Evening beginning thereof would readily best prevent Wherfore I may safely conclude that the Sabbath and Lords-day ought of right to b●gin at Evening since God being * only wise would certainly institute such an inchoation of them as might best prepare and enable men to their Sanctification and most anticipate their prophanation the cause why he prescribed the celebration of the Sabbath from Even to Even Levit. 23. 32. if I righly conjecture 9. It is confessed by all that in the Scripture and Israelites account all dayes began at Evening as I have proved at large before It is likewise most certain that Christ and his Apostles being Israelites did ever constantly observe the Scripture and their own nationall computation of the beginning and end of dayes it being that which Christ himself and all the Evangelists follow as I have evidenced at large in the third and fifth Conclusions neither is it any way probable that Christ and his Apostles or the Primitive-Church and Christians who were in all things guided by them did or would alter this their Nationall and divine beginning or concluding of dayes there being no ground or reason for it for ought that yet appeares If therefore the Lords-day were instituted and consecrated for a Sabbath by Christ himself as many or by his Apostles as most or by the Primitive Church Christians onely soon after the Apostles time as others affirm one of which three opinions is and

Mr. Fox his book of Mart●rs Edit. 1610. p. 715. Spelmanni Concilia p. 445 446. who both enacted That the Lords-day should be kept holy from Saturday Vespers at three of the clock till Monday morning beginning the solemnization of it on Saturday Evening at * 3 of the clock not at Midnight or morning following and continuing it till Monday morning for preventing all prophanesse and disorders on our Sunday night as being more fit to be spent in holy duties than servile works or pastimes it being fitter to give God more time than he commands than to rob him of the least minute From these Kings raigns it was the constant custome of this Kingdome for Lab●u●ers servants all others to give over their week day works about Saturday Noon or 3 of the clock some space before Evening service that so they might repair to Evening prayers that day and after that begin the sanctification of the Lords-day at Evening as is evident by the statutes of 4 H. 4. c. 14. 6 H. 6. c 3. and 23. H. 6. c. 13. which enact That no Labourers whatsoever should take any hire for the Festivall dayes nor for the half dayes for the Evens of Feasts when they do not labour Which custome hath been observed in some places till of late within the memory of such who exceed not 50 years the Saturday being esteemed an half holy day and servants recreating th●mselves upon it a little before night that so they might avoid all Pastimes on the Lords-day and keep it holy from Evening to Evening Which together with the custome of observing Holy-day Eves because those dayes began at Evening is a manifest and direct evidence that the Church of England till of late some taught the co●trar● did begin the Lords-day on Saturday Evening even from these Kings time and long before and therefore should proceed to do so now The same Law was enacted by William King of Scots Anno 1203 which was likewise ratified by a Scotish Councill as Hector Boetius lib. 13. de Scotis Centuriae Magdeburg Cent. 13. Col. 932. lib. 48. Col. 788. l. 40. accord viz. That Sunday should be kept holy from Saturday at 3 of the Clock till Monday Evening that none should do any worldly businesse thereon but be imployed onely in holy actions and King Alexander the third of Scotland in a Parliament An. 1314. decreed That none should fish in the waters from Saturday Vespers til Monday morning My 22. is the Decree of the Councill of Lyons concerning Holy dayes recorded by Juo Carnotensis Decretalium pars 4 c. 14 Gratian de Consecratione Distinct 3 fol 663. Pronunciandum est Laicis ut sciant tempora feriandi per annum scilicet Omnem Dominicam à Vespera usque ad Vesperam Upon which Ba●tholomaeus Brixiensis on Gratian's Text gives this Glosse usque ad Vesperam Hi● habes Quando incipiat Di●s secundum Canones s●i●ic●t A VESPERA Gratian Juo Panormitan Hostiensis with other Canonists being of the same judgement too What can be more direct or ●ositive than this The 23 Is Honorius Augustodunensis de Imagine Mundi lib. 2 c. 27. de initio fine dierum Bibl. Patrum Tom. 12. p 497. R. Christiani Diem Dominicam à Vespera usque in Vesperam finiunt My 24. Is the Synod under Simon and Galo the Legat apud Bochellum decret-Eccles Gal. lib. 4. Tit. 7. c. 14. p 578. Tit. 10. c. 12. p. 595. Pronunciandum est Laicis ut sciant tempora feriandi per annum id est Omnem Dominicam à Vespera usque ad Vesperam Nec ali●uis à vespera Diei Sabbati ad vesperam Diei Domin●cae ad molendina aquar●m nec ad aliqua alia molere audeat A ull resolution in this Controversie My 25. Is Pope Gregory the ●i●th Decretalium lib. 2. Tit. 9. de Feriis c. 2 p 595. Who determines thus Omnem Dominicam Vesperam à Vespera usque ad Vesperam●eriandum Sanctam D●em Dominic●m Ab ho a Diei Sabbati Vespertina inchoandam It ne●ds no Glosse being so di●●ct My 26. Is the Canon of the Synod of Angiers Apud Bochellum Decret. Eccl●s l. 4. Tit. 10. p. 14. p. 578. Inhibemus molitoribus etiam quibuseunque sub poena interminatione praedicta molendinarum Dominis Nè ipsi Diebus Dominicis maximè à vespera Diei Sabbati usque ad vesperam Diei Dominicae molendina molire faciant aut permittant non obstante longi temporis abusu qui non usus censendus aut consuetudo imò verius corruptela cum tanta sint graviora peceata quanto diutius infoelicem animam detinuerant obligatam cum aliqua praescriptio contra praecepta decalogi locum sibi vindicare non possit A direct evidence My 27 is a domestick Provinciall Constitution under Simon Isleep Archbishop of Canterbury recorded by Lindwood Constit Provincialium l. 2. Tit. de Feriis fol. 74. B. And by Joannis de Aton fol. 148. a. Inprimis sacrum diem Dominicum ab hora vespertina Diei Sabbati inchoandum which needs no other Glosse but Lindwoods who thence concludes That the Lords-day ever begins at Evening the constant ancient Doctrine of our Church My 28. is an ancient English Dialogue upon the Commandements intituled Dives Pauper first Printed Anno 1496 and after reprinted by Thomas Berthelet the Kings Printer Anno 1536. Which Book on the third our fourth Commandement ch. 14. f. 132. c. 6. f. 11● demanding this Question How long ought the Holy day to be kept and hallowed resolves it thus From Even to Even as Raymundus saith and the Law Extrau l. 5. Tit. de Feriis Omnes dies We have ordained that all Sundayes be kept with all manner of worship From Even to Even and holy Writ saith also and God himself From Even to Even shall you celebrate the Sabbaths My 29. is an old English Treatise intituled The Flower of the Commandements of God Printed at London by Wynkin de Ward Anno 1521. ch. 3. on the third our fourth Commandement f. 31. 32. Which thus determines Nothing is to be done on the Sunday but to be besied towards God him for to Honour Question Who so should demand At what houre a man should begin to celebrate the Feasts The Answer Regularly men say that from the one Evenson unto the other Even-song the Chyrk make solemnity It is written Extrau de Feriis de consecratione distinct 1. cap. Missas Omnes dies Dominitos à vespera in vesperam decernimus observari In like wise saith the Scripture in many places à vespera ad vesperam celebrabitis Sabbata vestra This scripture reproveth the fully of some simple men the which reputeth not to be sin to labour and work late on the Saturday at night and ween that it is sin to work onely on the Monday in the Morning These two last authorities I h●v●

mischief therefore is but a pretence Secondly It is clear that God himself commanded his seventh day Sabbath and other Solemn F●stivals to be solemnized from Evening to Evening Exod. 12. 18. Levit. 23. 32. God therefore infinitely wise foreseeing better than the best wisest holiest and most prudent Christian Magistrates or Ministers all inconveniences abuses that might prophane his Sabbath and what beginning conclusion of it would best prevent all prophanations and make most for its sanctification instituting hi● Sabbath and other Festivals to begin and end at Evening not at morning or mid-night I may safely inferre against this present Objection that this beginning concluding the Lordsday at Evening even in Gods accompt and so in verity it self is least inconvenient least mischievous and the best of all the three to prevent all prophanations abuses of the day Therefore it ought to be imbraced as that which God himself hath prescribed for the best the meetest of all others Thirdly I have formerly proved that this beginning of it at Evening doth best prepare men for its sanctification that it prevents more prophanations Abuses of it committed on and occasioned by disorders of all sorts on the Saturday night as we falsly term it then it could possibly produce on Lordsday Evenings To which I shall adde that it likewise excuseth all Husbandmen Tradesmen and others from being Sabbath-breakers who in the Winter quarters rise early to their weekly labour on Munday morning some three or four hours before day-break who should be Sabboath breakers in an high degree if the sabbath or Lordsday ended not til day breaking as some Objectors pretend Therefore I may conclude that this beginning of the Lordsday at Evening make more for the sanctification of the day and prevents more inconveniences then that at morning and so ought to be retained Fourthly This beginning and concluding the Lords-day at Evening cannot any way produce such effects of licentiousnesse and prophanenesse on Lordsday Evenings as is suggested since it puts no period to the Lordsday or its duties till after Sunset when the Stars begin to shine which is not till eight or nine of the clock in the Summer when all orderly people families are more ready to betake themselves to their family duties private devotions and rest then to Sports or Pastimes and about six a clock in the Winter quarter after which all civill orderly Parents Masters though not religious permit not their Children or Servants to rove abroad and such who are truly pious fall to repetition of the Sermons they heard the Lordsday before singing of Psalms reading the Scriptures and godly Books Catechising their families Prayer Meditations and such like holy family duties answerable to the piety they professe and the holinesse of the preceding day So that it gives no liberty at all to any dishonest unchristian Sports or meetings as is pretended which commonly break up and end ere the Lordsday concludes in this accompt and which all good Christians ever avoid at all times especially after Lordsday exercises of Piety and Religion with which they have no anologie Lastly Admit the objection true that this beginning of the Lordsday at Evening should prove more inconvenient then that at morning not simply in it self but in regard of mens abusing it which yet I deny yet it follows not that therefore the day ought then to begin since the abuse of any Doctrine through the corruption of men makes not the Doctrine lesse true and since Inconvenien●es must not cannot alter those bounds which God himself hath immutably prescribed unto dayes True it is that inconveniencies backed with any precepts or scripture for the beginning of dayes are good Arguments proofs of truths but wanting Scripture authority to enforce them or being objected against apparent texts they are no ways conclusive Such are the inconveniences here pretended which whether they will happen yea or no will not canno appear till this Doctrine of the Lordsdayes commencing at Evening and the use of publique Evening Prayers in all places Saturday Evenings as a preparative to the Lordsday Sanctification formerly used be generally received as formerly which men will not so much abuse to Liberty and Licentiousnesse as is pretended or if they do the fault is onely theirs not the Doctrines Wherefore my Conclusion remains still firm notwithstanding this Objection The Sixt and last Objection is this That many godly Learned Divines of late and present times have in their Writings Sermons delivered this Opinion for a truth That the Lordsday begins and ends at morning not at evening because Christ rose not till the Morning and it is now the common received opinion practice of all our Divines and most private Christians Therefore questionlesse it is the truth and dangerous to alter it in Thesis or Practice To this I answer First That it is true many reverend holy learned late Divines whose names for honours sake I shall forbear to mention have in their publique Writings and many more in their Sermons delivered this opinion yet many of them only dubiously with an * IT SEEMETH or IT IS PROBABLE or LIKELY not resolutely and that their present practice is answerable thereunto But yet all the learned Godly Christians in all former ages have held practiced the contrary as I have proved and some godly eminent Divines among us now conclude in judgement with them The judgment therefore and practise of all Ages Churches from the Apostles time till now should rather sway the ballance of this controversie then these few late Divines though learned and judicious Secondly Most of those godly learned men have taken up this Opinion and published it to others upon Wolphius his Authority and ground without any full examination or serious study of the point as appears by this that they do but lightly touch it in the by and so away not seriously or peremptorily resolving it grounding themselves upon such reasons as no wayes prove their Conclusion and in truth are meerly fals in that sense they understand them as I have largely manifested in the premises Therefore their Authorities are not so much to be regarded Thirdly In all Disputes we must not so much observe what and who the Authors produced are as what their proofs and reasons are If these good learned mens Arguments Reasons be unsound as I have manifested them no matter what their Opinions lives or practises are since the learnedest the holiest are and may be subject unto Errours from which none are exempted Seeing therefore I have here propounded the best Reasons alledged on all hands for the Sabbath and Lordsdayes beginning at Evening Morning Midnight let the best Proofs Reasons win the field and then I hope the victory will fall on my side without any more Dispute who contend not for victory but truth alone Having thus as I conceive given full satisfactory answers to all materiall Objections I ever yet read heard or conceive against the Lords-days beginning at Evening I come now