needs begin at Evening The Lords day being onely the first day on which Christ arose and all the first day not part of it and part of the second day as it is and must be in the Opposites computation Fourthly that day on which Christ arose both as a week day and as a day was precedent to his Resurrection both in time nature and in the sanctification of it for a Lords-day For there must be fiâ—st a day of the week bâ—fore Christ could rise upon it or any consecrate it for a Sabbath or Lords-day therefore his Resurrection on it and the consecration of it for a Lords-day did not could not alter the limits or nature of that day but both of them must be regulated squared by its former bounds Fifthly Christs Resurrection and the Lords-day solemnization have no set limits of time of their own being no parts of time but onely measured out by time therefore they can give or proportion out no limits of time to the first day but the first day being a part of time must set limits of time to them And to make Festivalls or their occasions measurers out of the length bâ—ginning or end of days which the Objectors do is as grosse an absurdity as to measure the bushâ—ll by the corn or the yard by the cloth not the corn anâ— cloth by the bushell or yard or as to square the Rule by the tree measure the quart pot by the wine weigh pounds and weights by the wool flesh bread fruits not the tree wine wool c. by the rule quart pound weights Sixthly every memorable accident happening upon any day and so by consequence our Saviours Resurrection on the first day of the week cannot possibly alter the beginning of that day For if it falls out just at the dayes beginning it is a reason that the day and Festivall solemnized in memoriall of it should then begin because both the day and the occasion of its celebration commence together if it happen after the day begins as Christs Resurrection did it cannot nullifie or change its beginning because it was irrevocably past and gone before Et quod factum quod praeteritum est infectum reddi non potest no not by God himfelf much lesse by any accidentall occasion which cannot possibly operate to nullifie or alter that which was past and gone before it was in being Since therefore no occasion happening either with or after the beginning of any day can possibly alter the time of its inception the Festivity instituted in memory of that occasion on that day must inevitably begin and end when the day doth in its naturall and usuall course and so the Lords-day too which must begin and end at Evening because that day on which Christ rose again did so Seventhly Christs Resurrection and so any other memorable accident upon any dayes was but a meere transient act done past almost in a moment or minutes space wherefore it could properly of it self consecrate onely that space of that day which it took up and no more for the forepart of the day being past the following part of it to come and neither of them in being but that space thereof in which he rose again Christs Resurrection could not properly operate to consecrate either the antecedent or subsequent part of that day of it self much lesse any dayes ensuing If therefore the Lords-day or first day should be limited or bounded out by the time on which Christ rose which is the Opposites Doctrine we must either observe no Lords-day at all or else a Lords-day of a minutes length and that minute uncertain when to begin or end because the hour or minute of Christs rising again is unknown Since therefore there is both an expediency and necessity that Christians should observe a day a Festivall of a greater length than the very moment in which Christ rose in memory of Christs Resurrection the instituters of the Lords day considering that God himself did ever bound out all Festivalls by dayes not minutes hours or half dayes stretching the limits of them farther than the bounds of their occasions reached which were commonly short and transitory partly in imitation of Gods own former proceedings in such cases and partlâ— out of necessity did extend the bounds of the Lords-day beyond the space in which he was rising even to the intire day whereon he arose and so to that part of the day preceding as well as to that succeeding it the very act of Christs Resurrection being but momentany and not so large as the whole dayes extent Whence we may clearly see an absolute necessity of limiting Festivalls by the days limits not by their occasions of beginning the Lords-day at Evening though the Resurrection the cause of its future solemnization was not till morning and of making such occasions and the Resurrection to relate à parte ante as well as à parte post to consecrate the precedent as well as the subsâ—quent part of the dayes on which they happen without any violation of the objected Logick Rule That the effect cannot precede the cause which is true onely in this sense that the Lords-day could not be actually observed as a Lords-day in memory of Christs Resurrection on it befâ—re he actually rose again else Festivalls and the Lords day should be scarce half-holy-dayes sometimes not above a minutes or hours length which would be dishonourable to God to Christ to the Church and disadvantagious unto Christians Eightly if Festivalls or their occasions and so Christs Resurrection and the Lords-day should alter the beginning and end of dayes as the Objectors pretend it would bring in an absolute confusion of all timâ—s and dayes For then every last occasion of solemnizing any day must change the beginning of all other dayes and reduce them to the time that that occasion happened and so every punie Festivall should alter the limits of all dayes and Festivalls formerly settled which were injurious yea absurd and would cause so many alterations in day as would render all days weeks years uâ—certain or else every day or Festival should have severall beginnings and ends answerable to the hours of the severall remarkable accidents happening on them some beginning at one hour some at another some being long others short some beginning at one time in one Country and at another time in another Countrey which would bring such a perplexity intricacy into all computations of time and all Chronologie as neither God nor man could suffer breed much confusion both in Contracts Festivals all divine and humane affairs overturn Religion Lawes Dayes Weeks Moneths years and reduce all things to a meere incertainty in regard of time which hath continued the same in all ages and places from the Creation to this present without any variation the week consisting of seven dayes and each of those dayes of 24. hours onely as they did at the Creation Wherefore to prevent this generall confusion incertainty disorder in dayes and
other times there is a necessity that dayes Gods Standard Royall to measure all temporary things occasions and solemn Festivals happening on them should limit both Festivals themselves and the causes of their institution and so that the Lords-day should be squared by the first day of the week to which it is confined not the first day or Lords-day by the time of our Saviours Resurrection on it And why should not the Lords-day be squared by the first day on which our Saviour arose Is it not celebrated principally in remembrance of his Resurrection on that day Is not the Lords-day the first day and the first day the Lords-day Is not all the fiâ—st day the Lords-day and no part of the 2d day would you not have it like that first day on which Christ arose not different from it If so then that first day must be the only measure of it and it must begin and end at Evening as that day did If otherwise you make the Lords-day different from that day whereon Christ rose you sanctifie but part not all the first day you piece up a Lords-day of half the first day and half the second day and make Christs Resurrection the measure of the day when as the day was the measure of it all and and either of which is grossâ—ly absurd You see therefore in the first place that the ground on which the Opposites build their opinion of the Lords-dayes commencement at morning is but a châ—in of falshoods and notorious errours And so the objection meerely false in the sence that they intend it 2. I answer that â—hough Christs Resurrection was the principal cause of Christians celebrating the first day of the week for the Lords-day Christian weekly Sabbath yet it was not the sole cause or occasion of it there being many other causâ—s likewise alleadged for it by ancient and modern Divines and others as that it was the first day of all others whereon God created the light that God raineed Manna in the Wildernesse on it that Christ thereon rose again from the dead and that the Holy Ghost descâ—nded thereon upon the Apostles Thus expressed in the Excerptions of Egbert Archbishop of York about the year of Christ 750 c. 36. Spelmanni Concil. Tom. 1. p. 262. Dominica dies prima dies seculi est dies Resurrectionis Christi dies Pentecosten ideo SANCTA EST c. And thus in some ancient Saxon Canons some of uncertain date yet supposed to be 1000 years after Christ Ibidem p 600. c. 24. a Dies verò Dominica quia in eo Deus lucem condidit in eo Mannam eremo pluit in eo Redemptor humanigeneris spoute pro salute nostra mortuis resurrexit in eo Spiritum Sanctum super discipuâ—os infudit tanta debet esse observantia ut praeter Orationes Missarum solemnia ea quae ad vescendum pertinent nihil aliud fiat c. On which particulars many of our modern writers insist Now as it was the first day of the world whereon light was created it clearly began at Evening Gen. 1. 5. The Manna falling on it â—elâ— with the dew IN THE NIGHT Numb 11. 9 Exod 16 13 14. Christs Resurrection thereon was early in the Morning whiles it was yet dark John 20. 1. Luke 24. 1 2 6. Matth. 28. 1. 6. Mark 16. 1 2. The Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles thereon was about nine of the clock in the Morning or the third houre of the day Acts 2. 1. to 16. To these Reasons of its sanctifiâ—ation most of our late Divines annex Christs apparition to his Disciples on this day after his Resurrection and that was AT EVENING a little before Sunset John 20. 19. Now if all these severall occurrents on the first day of the week concurring joyntly towards its sanctification as a Lords-day or Christian Sabbath should alter its Primitive beginning and end at the Creation as the first day of the world when it began and â—nded at Evening to the time and hour of these severall Occurrences thereon it should have as many severall beginnings and ends at severall times houres repugnant to each other which would make it five severall dayes in stead of one yea no day at all but a Monster of dayes and Sabbaths To reconcile which repugnances and avoid such confusion the Objectors must disclaim their confident objected mistake That Christs Resurrection being one cause of the Lords-dayes solemnization onely did actually change the beginning of the day from Evening to Morning and grant it still begins at Evening as before it did 3. I answer that this Objection is a meere Petitio principii a begging of the thing controverted as granted instead of proving it For they lay this for a foundation that Christs very Resurrection did change the beginning of the Lords-day or first day on which he arose from Evening to Morning which is the thing in truth they ought to prove Yea but they confirm it too as well as say it How I pray Christ rose again in the Morning Ergo he translated the beginning of the day to the Morning But how is this Consequent made good why thus Christs Resurrection was the cause of the Lords-day Therefore the day must begin when he arose and not before for the effect ought not to precede the cause I subioyn that in this Argumâ—nt is a treble sophisme Fiâ—st there is Fallacia dictiouis in the word cause which signifieth either an oâ—iginall impulsive cause And so it is true that Christs Resurrection was the cause of the Lords dayes solemnization to wit the cause why Christians afterwards did solemnize it or else an immediate efficient constiâ—utive cause Christs Resurrection was no such cause of the Lords day as I have proved Yet the Objectors in this Argument make it so for that is theiâ— meaning If they take cause here onely in the fiâ—st sence then the Argumâ—nt is a meere inconsequent for the original cause or occasion of a thing may in point of time precede the effect for many hundred years Adams fall wâ—s the cause or occâ—sion of Christs Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascension Rom. 56. to 20. yet these were many thousand yeaâ—s puny to it The three yâ—ars famine in Davids time was occasioned by Sauls slaughter of the Gibeonites many years before 2 Sam. 21. 1. Yea most Diviâ—â—s generally affirm that though Christs Resurrection was he occasion or impuâ—sive cause of the Lords-dayâ—s iâ—stiâ—ution yet the institution of it was some space after iâ— not contemporary with it This Argument therfore is buâ— a meer inconsâ—quâ—nt Christs Resurrection the originall occâ—sion of the Lords dayâ—s institution was in the mâ—â—niâ—g Ergo hâ— Lâ—â—ds day must then begin 2. Here is â—ikâ—wise â—â—â—lâ—acie in arguing that the Lords day mâ—st 〈◊〉 at Moâ—ning not Evening bâ—cause the effâ—ct cannoâ— pâ—â—â—edâ— the cause when as the Aâ—gument should be â—â—st contrary The â—ffect begins ever when
determine at Evening and that the Jews did ever solemnize it from Evening to Evening Thirdly That the very first day of the week whereon our Saviour rose again began and ended at Evening in divine computation or Scripture account Fourthly That this beginning and concluding of dayes at Evening is perpetuall and immutable Fifthly That Christs Resurrection in the morning did no wayes alter the beginning or end of dayes nor yet translate the beginning of that first day whereon he arose from Evening to Morning nor change the former limits thereof For the first of these That all dayes in Scripture and divine calculation begin and end at Evening it is most apparant First by Genesis 1. 5 9 19 23 31. where the Scripture is expresse in point that at the very Creation of the world and beginning of time and dayes the Evening and the Morning made the first second third fourth fifth sixth and by consequence the seventh first dayes that ever were the onely patterns for the inchoation and determination of all dayes since the f Evening being here placed before the Morning as Expositors observe by God himself because the day in naturall and divine account begins at Evening the Evening and darknesse being preceding to the morning and light even in point of time Gen. 1 2 3. Secondly it is evident by Exod. 12. 3 6 12 29 42 51. compared and paralelled with Levit. 23. 5. Numb. 9. 11. cap. 28. 16. Deut. 16. 4. Josh. 5. 10. 2 Chron. 30. 15. c 35. 1. Ezra 6. 19. 20. and Ezech. 45. 21. all treating of the time when the Passeover was to begin In the tenth day of this Moneth they shall take to them every man a Lamb a Lamb for an house and ye shall keep it up untill the fourteenth day of the same Moneth and the whole Assembly of the Congregation of Israel shall kill it in the Evening For I will passe through the Land of Egypt this night and will smite all the first born of the Land of Egypt both of man and beast In the fourteenth day of the first moneth at Even is the Lords Passeover the fourteenth day at Even shall they keep it And the children of Israel went away and did as the Lord had commanded And it came to passe that at midnight the Lord smote all the first born in the Land of Egypt c. It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing the chilaren of Israelout of the Land of Egypt And it came to passe the self same day that thé Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt by their Armies From which words it is apparant 1. That the fourteenth day of the Month Abib on which the Passeover was kept began in Scripture account at Evening 1. Because they were to keep the Paschal Lamb untill the fourteenth day and then to kill it in the Evening therefore that day began at Evening 2. Because the feast of the Passeover with the killing dressing and eating of the Paschall Lamb did commence at Evening thererefore the day too which no doubt the Feast began for if the day began not till the following morning the Passeover had been kept before it not upon it upon the thirteenth not the fourteenth day of the month 2. That that Evening and night on which the Passeover was kept was part of the following not of the foregoing day 1. Because this Feast of the Passeover was to be kept the whole fourteenth day in remembrance of Gods passing over the Israelites slaying the Egyptians and delivering his people out of Egypt Since therefore they began not to kill and eat the Passeover in the morn-ning but at Evening the Evening must necessarily begin the day and be a part onely of the following day not of the day preceding it else it would have been but an half-holy day and no more the whole preceding day being not solemnized but the night alone or at least a holy day made up of the Evening of the fourteenth and the morning of the fifteenth day not of the fourteenth day alone both which are directly contrary to the Text 2. Because this celebrating of the Passeover the fourteenth day at Evening was done in memory of Gods passing over them and slaying the Egyptians at midnight following and bringing them out of Egypt with their Armies the next morning this Evening therefore must be part of that day to which Midnight and the Morning following did belong which must necessarily appertain to the fifteenth not the fourteenth day if the fourteenth day began the midnight or morning before and not that very evening and so the fourteenth day should be solemnized for a deliverance happening on the fifteenth day not on it which were absurd to think The deliverance therefore happening the midnight and morning which succeeded this Evening it must doubtlesse be solemnized as part of the subsequent not of the precedent day 3. Because the Text saith expresly Exod. 12. 51. The same day the Lord brought the children of Israel out of Egypt by their Armies therefore this Evening and Midnight were part of the ensuing day because the Israelites departed not out of Egypt with their Armies till the g morning following as that Chapter manifests and yet the Scripture saith that they departed out of Egypt the same fourteenth day whereon they did eat the Passeover and God slew the first-born of Egypt This fourteenth day therefore in divine calculation both as a naturall day and as a Passeover day too began and ended at Evening and so by consequence all other dayes Thirdly it is most clear by Exod. 12. 18 19. compared with Levit. 23. 5 6. and Numb. 28. 16. In the first moneth on the fourteenth day of the moneth at EVEN Seven dayes shall there be no leaven found in your houses seven dayes shall unleavened bread be eaten This Feast of unleavened bread was to continue seven dayes but these dayes and this Feast by Gods own limitation did begin and end at Evening for the Text is expresse that on the fourteenth day at EVEN they should eat unleavened bread till the twenty first day at EVEN The Evening therefore was both the Alpha and Omega of this Feast of all these dayes in Scripture reckoning and so by consequence of all other dayes Fourthly this is as clear as the Sun at Noon-day by the Ceremoniall Laws concerning uncleannesse On any dayes or seasons of the year if any of the Israelites chanced to be legally unclean in some cases they were to remain unclean for one day in others for seven dayes But how did these dayes begin and end in Gods account Certainly at Evening For all the Texts run thus concerning him who was unclean for one day He shall be unclean untill the Even and when the Evening cometh on he shall wash himself with water and when the Sun is down he shall come into the Camp again And thus concerning the
of the third dâ—y on which he arose should be past before his rising which could not be had the day bâ—gun just at morning or midnight not at Evening he being risen very early whiles it was dark John 20. 1 2. The question then for the clearing of this Article of Christs resurrection upon the third day will be onely this What is meant here by three days How these dayes are and ought to be computed and from what time they did begin To which all y ancient modern divines who have commented on the Evangelists or written of Christs resurrection reply with one accord 1. That by three dayes in these Scriptures is meant not three intire dayes for Christ lay not three whole dayes in his grave but one whole day and a part of two other dayes but part to wit part of the sixth day whereon he was crucified the whole Sabbath day following it and the Evening or night which was part of the first day whereon he arose 2. That these dayes must be thus computed and did thus begin and end The first of thâ—m being our good Friday began at Evening and ended at Evening shortly after our Saviour was taken down from his Crosse and intombed The second of them being the 7th day Sabbath began and ended at Evening all which day Christ rested and kept a Sabbath in his grave The third day the Jews first day our Lords-day began at Even when the Sabbath concluded and ended the Evening following a little after our Saviours appearance to his Disciples John 20. 19. By which calculation our Saviour lay part of the first the whole second and a good part of the third day in his grave to wit the Evening and greatest part of the night and so well nigh half the third day was past before his Resurrection so that he might well be said to rise again the the third day and by a Synechdoche Membri to lie three dayes in his grave and z after three dayes that is after the beginning of three dayes the latter part of the third day being included and the forepart onely excluded in this Phrase of speech to rise again which he could not be properly said to do had this third day begun at morning he being risen again when it was dark John 20. 1. Matth. 28. 1 2. and so upon the second day before not on or after the third day in this strange accompt which no Divine in this particular of Christs resurrection ever followed all of them joyntly resolving that the third day on which our Saviour arose and the two preceding dayes according to divine computation began and ended at Evening Wherefore this third Conclusion even by the unanimous consent of all men is indubitable and quite overturns our Antagonists foundation for the Lords dayes incâ—ption in the morning to wit that Christs Resurrection in the morning did translate the beginning of this first day from Evening to morning which is but a grosse mistake directly contrary to all the recited Scriptures the resolution of all judicious Divines and writers in all ages as I shall anon more fully manifest in its proper place For the fourth That this beginning and concluding of dayes at Evening is immutable I mean in divine respects not of civill it is most clear for these ensuing reasons First Because it is that bound which God himself the a Lord of times and Ancient of dayes hath prescribed them both by his word his works and own divine calculation as the three foregoing Conclusions evidence and what God himself hath thus limited and prefixed cannot be altered but by himself alone who never changed this beginning or period of dayes for ought appears in Scripture Eccles 3. 14. Jer. 31. 35 36. c. 33. 20 21. Secondly because it is that termination of days wch God himself instituted at the very Creation whenas he prefixed such limits to days times as were to contiue in all succeeding ages till time should be no more witnesse Gen. 1. 2 3 5 8 13 to 20. 23. 31. where God made darknesse to precede the light the Evening antecedent to the Morning and to begin the day the Evening and the Morning not the Morning and the Evening I mean in point of priority making the first seven days and so by consequence all succeeding dayes the dayes and weeks being now the same and of the same dimension as they were at the Creation and therefore retain the self same beginning and end now as God designed to them then and that by a natura unchangeable Ordinance For God at the Creation ordained the Sunne the Moon and Starres to rule over the day and night to divide the light from the darknes that is to bound out the day and night to be for signs and for seasons and for dayes and years Gen. 1. 14. to 19. Psal. 136. 6 7 8. Psal. 104. 19. And that so long as the world should endure or the Sun and Moon have a being witnesse Gen. 8. 22 While the earth remaineth seed time and haâ—vest and cold and heat and Summer and Winter and day and night shall not cease that is they shall observe the bounds and times that I have prâ—scribed them at the Creation without any alteration Jer. 31 35 36. and c. 33. 20. 21. makes this mâ—st clear Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the Ordinances of the Moon and of the Starres for a light by night if these Ordinances depart from before me or if you can break my Covenant of the day and of the night that there shall not be day and night in their season that is at the time which I appointed at the Creation Then also might my Covenant be broken with David my servant Which Texts do fully evince the beginning end of dayes and limits of time instituted at the Creation to be unalterable so long as the world remains which is likewise backed by Psal. 74. 16 17. Ps. 72. 57. Ps. 104. 19. Ps. 121. 6. Ps. 136. 9 and 148 3 5 6. The day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sunne thou hast made Summer and Winter He appointeth the Moon for seasons the Sunknoweth his going down Thou makest darknesse and it is night Praise him Sun and Moon praise him all ye starres of light for he commanded and they were created he hath also established them for ever and ever he hath made a Decree which shall not passe From all which Scriptures it is infallible that God at the Creation fixed immutable limits to dayes and times both for their beginning end length which shall and must continue the same for ever the dayes weeks moneths and years being of the same extent for the present as they were at the beginning Therefore the inception and ending of the day at Evening being settled at the Creation doth and must remain unalterable Thirdly This inchoaâ—ion and conclusion
of the day at Evening is ratified by the fourth Commandement a morall and perpetuall precept founded on the very course and Lâ—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 worâ— 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 herâ— in apparently confirm for ever the beginning â—nd and limits boâ—h of dayes and weeks as they were â—â—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 dimenâ—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 dâ—termine and their Sabbath or seven dayes râ—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 Godâ— 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 Christâ— 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 Divineâ— 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 premiseâ— 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 safâ—ly conclude that it made no such change untill the contrary can be proved Sixthly the Scripture is expresse that Christs Resurrâ—ction did no wayes change either the order name or nature of that day whereon he arosâ— 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.
29. Luke 24. 1. John 20. 1. 19. the very name that was given it at the Creation Gen. 1. 5. which was still retained after our Saviours Resurrection and Ascension Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. having no other title at all imposed on it but this in Scripture that of Revel. 1. 10. to wit the title of Lords-day being applyed by some to the seventh day Sabbath by others â—o d Easter day onely yet by * most to the Lords-day for ought that certainly appears Which name implies that it continued the same after Christs Resurrection as before the First day of the Week for number order beginning the week as afore and so by consequence commencing at Evening as before it being the same in name in order in nature though not in use and observation amongst Christians as it was at the Creation Therefore the same in its inception too and so not altered from Evening to morning Seventhly that very first day on which Christ arose in Scripture and divine account began and ended at Evening not at morning or midnight as I have undeniably proved at large in the third Conclusion Christs Resurrection therefore did no wayes alter or translate the beginning of it from morning to Evening as some fâ—lsely affirm but never prove And if it made no such muâ—ation of the beginning and end of that same First day on which he arose much lesse then of any other that succeeded it or of the other week dayes on which he did not rise again Christs Resurrection did not actually translate the beginning of that first day on which he arosegain from Evening to Morning For had that day begun at Morning just at or from the time which he arose 〈◊〉 some pretend then he had not risen again upon the third but on the second day from his Passion which directly oppugnes the e Scripture and the Article of our Creed that he rose again the third day from the dead not the second To make this reason evident The Morning of this first day began not till day breaking or day-light and if this first day began then too Christ certainly did not could not rise upon it but before it and so on the second day For the women came to the Sepulchre when it was yet dark before day-light appeared or the f day began in this accompt and yet Christ was then risen John 20. 1 2. therefore before the day began in this computation And if they will begin it from the time that Christ arose since Christs resurrection was the cause as they sayd of this its new inception or the Terminus à qâ—o from whence it began they still stiâ—k fast in the same mirâ— For if Christs Resurrection changed the commencement of this day he must be actually risen ere this change could be made since the cause must necessarily precede the effect which must begin from and after it not before or with it and if the moment of Christs Resurrection was the Terminus whence this day began as they affirm his Resurrection must needs precede the day that point of time from whence the day begins being exclusive as precedent to it not inclusive as any part or parcell of it and so Christ must necessarily rise before this first day to wit upon the Sabbath or second day not upon or g after it began and so not upon the third or first day of the week as the Scripture affirms and by consequence not upon that Lords-day which they solemnize from morning to morning in memory of his Resurrection on it which by their own reasoning â—nd computation was before it not upon it All which considered I may undoubtedly conclude that Christs Resurrection did no wayâ—s alter the beginning or end of dayes no not of that first day on which he arose from morning to Evening So that this last Conclusion is infaâ—libâ— These five Conclusions being thus premised and I hope undeniably proved I shall now deduce five unanswerable Arguments from them to prove that the Lords-day doth and ought of right to begin and end at Evening not at morning or midnight 1. If all dayes in Scripture and divine account do alwayes begin and end at Evening not at morning or midnight then the Lords-day being the first day of the week and included in the universality of dayes must do so too But all dayes in Scripture and divine computation do alwayes begin and end at Evening not morning or midnight as the first Conclusion maniâ—ests Therefore the Lords-day doth so too 2. If the seventh day Sabbath in Scripture account did alway commence and determine at Evening and the Jews did ever solemnise it from Evening to Evening then the Lords-day which succeeds it and begins when the Sabbath ends must then begin and conclude seeing all the week-dayes are of the self-same length and must have the same inception and Conclusion since this Sabbath was thus solemnized long after our Saviours Resurrection by the Apostles Jews and Christians too Matth. 24. 20. Acts 13 14 27. 42. c. 14. 1. c. 15. 20 21 c. 17. 1 2 10. c. 18. 4. But the seventh day Sabbath in Scripture calculation did alwayes commence and determine at Evening and the h Jews did ever solemnize it from Evening to Evening as the second Conclusion testifies Therefore the Lords day must then begin and conclude 3. If that very first day of the week whereon our Saviour rose again began and ended at Evening in divine accompt even as it was his Resurrection day then the Lords day kept in memory of his Resurrection on that day being the self same day of the week and having the self same limits as that day had must then begin and end likewise But that very first day of the week whereon our Saviour rose again began and ended at Evening in divine compute even as it was his Resurrection day Therefore the Lords day in respect of its weekly observation and solemnization in memory of our Savlours Resurrection on it must commence â—nd detemine at Evening too The sâ—quel is uâ—deniable the minor is fully proved in the third Conclusion so the Argument is unanswerable 4. This beginning and determination of dayes at Evening be naturall and immutable therefore the Lords day must have can have no other inception or conclusion but at Evening 5. I Christs Resurrection in the morning did no ways alter the beginning or end of dayes nor yet translate the beginning of that day whereon he arose from Evening to morning then we ought to make no such alteration for that were to be wiser than Christ yea to usurp Gods speciall Prerogative to alter times Dan. 2. 20 21. c. 7. 25. so must keep the Lords-day from Evening to Evening not from morning to morning or from midnight to midnight But Christs Resurrection in the morning did no wayes alter the beginning and end of dayes nor yet translate the
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 licâ—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 incepâ—ion or â—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 mâ—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 whoâ—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 viâ—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 bâ—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
must be granted by them for undoubted truth then it is most certain that it must and did at its very first institution and observation begin and end at Evening not at morning or Midnight or bâ—cause Christ himself his Apostles and the Primitive Church did ever constantly observe this computation Therfore they would not did not institute any other beginning of it but this alone which reason in my poore weak apprehension is so solid that it admits of no evasion or reply Lastly That beginning and end of the Lords-day which the Church people of God in all ages from the first institution of the Lords-day to this present age have constantly observed and the Church and learned in those ages pofitively in expresse terms resolved to be most true and genuine is * questionless the proper infallible inception conclusion thereof This no man I presume either will or can deny But this beginning and ending of the Lords-day at Evening which I here plâ—ad for is that which the Church and people of God in all ages from the first in stitution of the Lords-day to this present age have constantly observed and the Church and learned in those age have positively in expresse termes resolved to be most true and genuine none â—ver oppngning iâ— till q Wolphius about some sixty years since the first I find or hear of that broached â—â— is new opinion of its beginning at morning because our Saviour did then rise again whose authority and sophisticall reason a meere Non sequitur as I shall prove anon hath sâ—duced and drawn over many unto his opinion both in their judgements and practise too Therefore it is questionlesse the proper infallible inception and Conclusion thereof The Minor which is onely liable to exception and may seem a Paradox to some who over-rashly stile this Position of the Lords-dayes beginning at Evening an upstart novelty never heard of in the Church of God till this present age in truth because thâ—mselves are ignorant in Antiquities and versed onely in late modern writers who fomeâ—t the contrary Error which I daâ—e affirm to be the late sigment of some modern Authâ—â—uâ—s not once so much as heard of in any former ages which I here challenge them to disprove I shall make good by unanswerable Reasons and Authorities as I conceit them even from the very Apostles time to this present Century and that in a Chronologicall method beginning with the Primitive times and so descending in order to this present age It is a Querie not yet resolved amongst Divines when and by whom the observation of the Lords-day for a Sabbath was instituted Some hold it was instituted by Christ himself between his Resurrection and Ascension Others that it was instituted by the Apostles after Christe the Ascention but at what certain time they do not accord A third sort affirm that it was ordained onely by the Primitive Church and Christians a little after the Apostles times or as the * Council of Paris and others affirm by the Council of Laodicea about 360 yeares after Christ but not by Christ or his Apostles For my own part as I shall not peremptorily resolve in this place which of these opinions is the truest it being not the scope of this present discourse â—eferring you to Mr. Sprint Dr. Bownd Mr. Widly Mr. Dod Mr. Cleaver Mr. Bernard Dr. Twisse Bishop Andrews the Practise of Piety Mr. Elten and others who have written of this subject on the fourth Commandement for satisfaction herein which requires a particular Tract. So I shall on the other side positively affirm that let the Lords-day be instituted either by Christ himself or the Apostles or the Primitive Church and Christians succeeding next after the Apostles about the end of the first Century after Christ at which tiâ—e it is clear by the testimonies of Ignatius Clemens Alexandrinus Justin Martyr Tertullian Irenaeus Plinie and others that the Lords day was usally solemnized by Christians yet the fiâ—st Institutors of it and the Primitive Christians who first observed it did ever begin and end it at Evening which I shall make good by these reasons there being no direct convincing authority â—â—â—ant either when the Lords-day was first instituted or â—t what time it was first appointed to begin 1. If Christ or the Apostles constituted it for a Sabbath it is more then probable if not certain that they ordained it to begin and end at Evening 1. Because they being all Jews and ever exactly following the Scripture and their own Nationall account of commencing the day at Evening as I haue formerly euidenced we cannot conceive that they should institute any new beginning of the Lorde-day at Midnight or Moruing contrary to the Scripture and their received Countâ—ey account but that they still observed this usuall and divine computation even in the Institution and Solemnization of this day 2. Because this beginning of this day being immutable and in * God the Fathers power onely to alter not in theirs it had been a presumption in them to change it without a speciall Commission from him the times being still in his power even at Christs Ascension not in Christs or his Apostles Acts 1. 7. But we never read of any such Commission granted them to alter this day from Evening to morning therefore it is presumption yea folly to believe or assirm it 3. Because the Lords-day as all sides accord was instituted in memory of Christs resurrection on the first day of the week Now the first day as I have manifested began and ended at Evening in divine Evangelicall account even as our Saviours Resurrection day neither did his Resurrection on it alter its beginning from Evening to morning Therefore the Lords-day being but the first day of the week and having the same beginning and setting as Christs very resurrection day had must begin and end at Even at its Primitive Institution and observation neither did or could the Institution of the first day of the week for a Sabbath in memory of Christs Resurrection change the beginning of the day since Christs resurrection it self in the morning the supposed cause of this alteration did it not 4. Because Christ or his Apostles would never consecrate a day in memory of the Resurrection on it within the compasse of which day Christ did not rise again for that were a great absurdiâ—y But had they consecrated a Lords-day to begin at Morning from day-breaking or from the very time that Christ arâ—se which is uncertain unknown and so this Lordsdayes beginning too they had instituted such a Lords-day within the compasse of which Christ did not rise he being risen before day-break whiles it was dark Matth. 28. 2. John 20. 1. and his Resurrection being but the point from which the day begins and so not within it on it but before it Therefore they instituted it to begin at Evening not at morning 5. It is certain that Christ himself his
Apostles and the Primitive Christians for some good space of time did constantly observe the seventh day Sabbath after Christs Passion and Resurrection the Evangelists and Saint Luke in the Acts ever stiling it the Sabbath-day which name it yet retains in * Latine and making mention of its conscionable solemnization by the Apostles and other Christians Mark 16. 1. Luke 23. 56. See Mark 15. 42. and Luke 23. 54. Matth. 24. 20. Acts 1 12. c. 13 14 27. 42. 44. c. 14. 1. c. 15. 20 21. c. 17. 1 2 10. and c. 18. 4. it being still solemnized by many Christians after the Apostles times even till the Council of Laodicea about the year of our Lord 360. as Ecclesiasticall writers and the 29th Canon of this Council testifie which runs thus Å¿ Quod non oportet Christianos Judaizare otiare in Sabbato sed operari in eodem die which many did refuse at that time to do Praeferentes autem in veneratione Dominicum diem there being then a great Controversie among Christians which of these two dayes the seventh day Sabbath or the Lords-day should have precedency t both of them being then observed by some si vacare voluerint ut Christiani hoc faciant Quod si reperti fuerint Judaizare Anathema sint à Christo Since thererefore the seventh day Sabbath was thus solemnized by Christ the Apostles and Primitive Christians after the resurrection till this Laodicean Council did in a manner quite abolish the observation of it it necessarily follows that they began their Lords-day celebration at Evening For the seventh day Sabbath as I have proved in the second Conclusion did ever begin and end at Evening and is so solemnized and begun by the Jews at this day Wherefore they concluding this day at Evening they must necessarily begin the Lords day then because the first day of the week which they celebrated as the Lords-day did then commence the Evening following the seventh day Sabbath being apart of it in their account and one day ever necessarily beginning when the other ends To these five Reasons I might adde those others formerly alledgâ—d to prove that the Lords-day ought to begin at Evening All which being laid together are an infallible proof that admit the Lords-day instituted by Christ and his Apostles yet it was ordained by them from the very first to begin and end at Evening and so to be solemnized and that themselves did thus begin it If it were onely instituted by the primitive Christians * succeeding them no question but they at first concluded that it should be sanctified from Evening to Evening many of them being Jews who kept all their Sabbaths and Festivals from Evening to Evening to whom the other Christians did readily conform in this particular because it was the Scripture computation even from the Creation and for other premised Reasons For the Apostles themselves and other Christians condescending to them for a time in the point of Circumcision Purification and other such Ceremonies quite abrogated by Christs death Acts 21. 20 to 28. 1 Cor. 9. 20. Gal. 2. 14 15. c. 6. 12. would certainly concurre with them in the beginning and ending of their Sabbaths and sacred festivities which were no wayes ceremoniall nor altered nor abrogated by Christs death From which premises I conclude that let the Lords-day be instituted when or by whomsoever yet it was ordained in its primary institution to be solemnized from Evening to Evening and that it was sanctified in this manner by its originall Institutors To put this out of question I shall descend from the alledged reasons to direct Authorities culling out some few of the chiefest in all ages and pretermitting all the rest for brevity sake I shall begin with the ancientest first and so proceed in order to our present times The first Authority I shall insist on is that of Acts 21. 7 8 11. which many object against me though it be most pregnant for me And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech untill Midnight And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together c. When therefore he was come up again and had broken bread and eaten and talked a long while even till break of day so he departed This is the very first and best Scripture Authority properly alledged for the solemnization of the Lords-day by the Apostles and Christians of that age who began the celebration thereof at Evening not at morning or midnight as is plain by this Text 1. Because their solemnizing of it begun no doubt at that time when as they came together to break bread that is to receive the Sacrament as most or to keep their Agape or Love-feasts as others interpret it or rather in truth to do both But the Christians in that time did both celebrate the Sacrament and keep their Love-Feasts at u Evening in imitation of our Saviour who first instituted and kept the Sacrament at Evening after Supper Luke 22 20. John 13. 2 4. c. 21. 20. whence it is called the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 20. See Luke 14. 12 16 17 24. Rev. 19. 9. 17. This is manifest by 1 Cor. 11. 20 21. When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lords-Supper for in eating every one taketh his own supper and one is hungry and another is drunken Now this Text styling the Sacrament the Lords Supper and informing us that the Corinthians did usually receive it after they had eaten their own Suppers and that some were drunk when they came to receive it and in those times They that were drunk were drunk in the night 1 Thes. 5. 7. ascertains us that this their coming to receive the * Sacrament and keep their Love-feasts was at Evening or candletining when it was Supper time 2. Because the Text saith There were many lights in the upper room where they were gathered together and that Paul preached from the time of their coming together till midnight Both which do manifestly declare their Assemblies begun at Evening as they anciently did because there were many lights in the room where they met which were lightted as the Text insinuates before or so soon as they assembled in it and because it is not probable that Paul who begun his Sermon when they came together as the words imply did preach from Midnight or the morning before till midnight following there being never such a Sermon heard of but onely from Candle tining till midnight the space of four or five hours 3. Because the Christians in the next succeeding ages as is manifest by y Plinie and z Tertullian did begin their Christian meetings and Love-feasts at Evening whence they likewise stiled them a Supper which Tertullian thus describes Coena nostra de nomine rationem suam
â—stendit Vocatur enim Agape id quod penes Graecos dilectio est Non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad Deum praegustetur Editur quantum convenientes capiunt bibitur quantum pudiâ—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 Aâ—què oratio convivium diâ—imit Inde lis disceditur non in catervas caesionum neque in Classes discursationum nec in â—ruptiones laseivorum sed ad eandem â—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 whiâ—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 Troâ— 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 lâ—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 â—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 â—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 saiâ—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
that age did solemnize our Saturday night before Easter especially and spâ—nd it all in holy vigils prayers and religious exercises because Christ rose upon it accounting it a part of the Lords-dâ—y and beginning their Lords-day exercises on it not on our Sunday night My ninth Proof is the fourth Council of Toledo in Spâ—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 haeâ— sol mniter benedicimus ut SACRAMENTUM SACRAE RESURRECTIONâ—S CHRISTI MYSTERIUM QUOD TEMPORE HUIUS NOCTIS VOTIVE ADVENIT BENEDICTIONEM SUSCIPIAMUS Et quia haec observatio per multarum loca terrarum Regionesque Hispaniae in Ecclesâ—is commendatur dignum est ut propter unitatem pacis Gallicanis Ecclesâ—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 solemâ—ize our Saturday night with holy viâ—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 râ—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 iâ— in force as these forecited UT INCIPERETUR A VESPERA DOMINICA quoniam à morte objeuâ—a proce â—imus ad lacem Resurrectionis NOS DOMINICAM A VESPERA SABBATI AUSPICAMUR so that â—â— was the constant practise of Christians in that age to begin the Lords day on Saturday at Evening QUEMLIBET Dâ—EM A VESPERA COMPUTARE ET CUM PRAEâ—EDENTE NOCTE SEU UNUM COPUâ—â—RE SOLEMUS which last word implies a constant Custome in that time Sedenim Moyses vaeationem à laboribus in Sabbato it a dâ—scripsit VT ET RAECEDENTE NOCTE ET SEQVENTI DIE OTIVM AGERENT Testes do Judees QVI VSQVE INHODIERNVM DIEM ID OBSRVANT Quiâ—pe qui non illam noctem quae Sabbatum subsequitur SED illaÌ„ 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 faâ—imus QUOD POST VESPERTINUM SACERDOTUM AD ALTARE SABBATO INGRESSUM EX CONSUEâ—UDINE QUAE SERVATUR NEMO GENU FLECTIT USQUE AD SEQUENTEM VESPEâ—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 liâ—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 Saviouâ—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 Eâ—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 sâ—rvatur even by an ancient long continued Custome received from the Christians and Churchâ—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 eâ—dâ—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 bâ—â—inning and spending all the Saturday night with Hymnes and spirituall
100. 1 2 3 4. Psalm 148. Job 36. and 39. Eccles. 12. 1. 1. Isa. 37. 16. c. 40. 28. c. 43. 1. c. 44. 4. c. 45. 12. 18. c. 51. 13. Jer. 10. 11 12. c. 14. 22. c. 27. 5. c. 32. 17 18 19. c. 51. 15 16. Jonah 1. 9. John 1. 3. 10. Acts 2. 24. c. 14 15. c. 17. 24 25 26. Rom. 1. 19 20. Col. 1. 16 17 18. Heb. 1. 1 2. 1 Pet. 4. 19. Rev. 4. 11. cap. 10 6. and the fourth Commandement it self Exod. 20. 8 to 12. seem to prefer the work of Creation before the work of Redemption as most of all manifesting declaring magnifying the infinite power wisdome greatnesse glory majesy providence bounty soveraignty Deity of God and as the strongest motive and obligation to all his Creatures and redeemed Saints likewise to adore worship love fear serve reverence obey God as their Creator and to depend rest trust commit themselves to him alone 4. These reasons seem to advance the work of Creation before the work of Redemption First it is the First and most ancient of all Gods visible works Gen. 1. 1. Deut. 4. 32. Mark 13. 19. Rev. 3. 14. 2 Pet. 3. 4. far antienter than Christs Resurrection or work of Redemption And that which is Antientest is usually best and honourablest Psal. 77. 5. Isa. 3. 2. c. 9. 15. c. 44. 7. c. 24. 23. c. 51. 19. Jer. 18. 15. Dan. 7. 9. 13. 22. John 1. 2 3. 1 Kings 12. 6. Jer. 6. 16. Acts 22. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 7. Rev. 3 14. Secondly the work of a Creation is the very greatest of all Gods works and more universall generall extensive than the work of Redemption extending to all the Glorious angels Sun Moon Starres Heavens Aire Earth Sea with all the severall creatures in them whatsoever and to all mankind Gen. 1. and 2. Psalm 83. Psalm 104. Psalm 148. 4. 5 6. Isa. 40. 26. c. 42. 5 c. 45. 12 18. John 1. 3. Ephes. 3. 9. Col. 1. 14. Rev. 4. 11. c. 10. 6. yea to Jesus Christ himself stiled the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3. 14. Therefore more excellent greater glorious than the work of Redemption b peculiar onely to Gods elect the smallest part of men not universall to all Mankind much lesse to Angels and all other Creatures Now it is a received Maxime in Divinity Morality Policy Reason Bonum quo communius eo melius See Psalm 145. 9 10 14 15 16. whence Philo the Jew de Opificio Mundi stiles the Sabbath in memory of it Festum non unius populi Regionisve sed in universum omnium quae sola digna est ut dieatur Popularis Festivitas Thirdly God himself created all things at fiâ—st very good perfect pure excellent and man himself after his own image in Holinesse true Righteousnesse Integrity â—erfection without Sinne Corruption Imperfection or obliquity Gen. 1. 18. 25. to the end c. 5. 1. c. 9. 6. Eccles. 7. 27. 1 Cor. 11. 7. Ephef. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. Man being depraved corrupted by Adams sin and fall which brought a c curse upon Mankind and all other creatures too Christs Redemption though it hath freed all his Elected called justified sanctified ones from Hell death and damnation the condemning ruling power of sin and curse of the Law yâ—t it hath not redeemed them much lesse the generality of mankind and other Creatures from the pollution corruption of Sinne lâ—st and â—ll those temporall miseries curses plagues Judgements imperfections in this life which sinne hath brought upon them nor yet restored them to such a glorious happy perfect condition here as that wherin man was first created the best of Saints on earth having many remainders of sinne corruptions defects and infirmities in them till they come to heaven 1 Kings 8. 46. Eccles. 7. 20. Rom. 7. 7. to the end James 3. 2. 1 John 1. 8 10. c. 2. 1. 2. Therefore in this respect the work of Creation excells that of Redemption in relation to all the creatures corrupted vitiated by mans fall and of the redeemed themselves whiles they continue on earth and have cause to celebrate Sabbaths and Lords-Dayes to sanctifie and make them holier 4. Some of the creatures as the Angels Christ himself as man and a creature if not the Sun Moon Stars heavens the works of Gods creation are more excellent and gloious than man or any Saints on earth the â—ubject of Christs Redemption Psalm 8. Heb. 1. Rev. 3. 14. 2 Thess. 1. 7. Psalm 103. 20. Mat. 25. 31. Heb. 2. 7 9. c. 12. 22. Rev. 14. 10. Luke 20. 36. compared together Therefore the work of Creation is more exellent than that of Redemption Fifthly without the work of Creation there could be no work of redemption the chief end whereof is to restore us to that felicity a Happinesse in the enjoyment of God and his creatures which man in his innocency had hâ— pâ—rsevered in that estate should have enjoyed by the work of creation Therefore the work of Creation is at least as excellent as glorious as the work of redemption if not more eminent than it Sixthly the excellency and glory of the work of redemption consists principally in this that it was wrought by Jesus Christ himself the onely beloved Sonne of God Luke 1. 6. 8. 99. Rev. 3. 24. Gal. 3. 17 Col. 1. 14. Heb. 9. 12 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Rev. 5. 9. But this cannot advance it above the work of creation God created all things by Jesus Christ as well as redeemed his elect Ephes. 3. 9. Col. 1. 16. and that onely as he was God and the word Heb. 1. 2. John 1. 1 2 3. Gen. 1. 1 3 26. not as God and man Seventhly all accord that it is a work of b greater excellency omniâ—otâ—nâ—y power love to create and make all things out of nothing then to repair restore rectifie things already created when depravâ—d defiled capâ—ivated or impaired See Basil and Ambâ—ose in their Hexamerons most Commentators on Gen. 1. and Isa. 45. 5. to 20. c. 40. 48. Re. 4. 11. Acts 17. 24. Heb. 3. 4. Therefore I may safer concludâ— that the work of Creation is c greater and more excellent than the work of Redemption from these Texts and Reasons then my Antagonists averre the work of Redemption to transcend the work of Creation in excellency and greatnesse without Scriptures or solid reasons grounded on it 5. Admit the whole work of Redemption wrought by Christ to be better greater excellenter than the work of Creation Yet none can prove or demonstrate that Chrstsi Resurrection one part onely of his work of redemption on the first day of the week is greater than the whole work of Creation Therefore they cannot conclude from it alone that this his bare Resurrection should alter the beginning end limits nature of times and dayes settled by God at the very Creation as they here argue 6. Admit Christs Resurrection and work of Redemption to be greater
better excellenter than Gods work of Creation which I deny will it thence follow Ergo it altered the work of Creation the cause of Sunne Moon Starres Dayes weeks years the beginning and end of the Sabbath or first day of the week and by consequence of all other dayes and times setled by God himself at the Creation by an unalterable Law Gen. 1. 5. 8. to 20. 23. 21. c. 2. 2 3. Exod. 20. 8. to 12. Psalm 148. 5. 6. Eccl. 3. 14. Jer. 31. 35 36. c. 33. 20 21. 2 Pe. 3. 14. Certainly all these Texts wiâ—â— others forecited resolve and experience proves the contrary the dayes weeks months morning Evening course of Sunne Moon and Starres being still the same they were from the Creation till this present and every thing or action that is greater better than another not abrogating or altering their course or limits which God or men had formerly settled 7. The ends of Christs Resurrection and Redemption were meerly spirituall to redeem justifie raise up from sinne from the dead and avance to heaven at last all those whom Christ redeemed John 5. 29. c. 11. 25. Rom. 1. 4. Rom. 5. 5. to 16. 1 Cor. 15. throughout Phil. 3. 10. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 1. 3 c. 21. Rev. 20. 5. 6. Rom. 4. 24 25. c. 8. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 14. Ephes. 2. 6. Not to alter the beginning or ending of dayes times seasons not one of all these Texts nor any other speaking of Christs Resurrection and the ends or benefits thereof assâ—rtinâ— importing much lesse resolving any thing Therefore it did not could not alter the beginning or limits of the fiâ—st day â—iâ—her as a naturall or as his Resurrection day as these Writers averre 8. Christs Paâ—sion a bloodshed was the principall part of his Redemption yea his Nativity Ascention to omit his whole life on earth and perpetuall mediation in heaven for us were parts thereof the one the first part the other the last of all Bâ—t it is clear that our Saviours Passion and bloodshed in the Evening though it were the chiefâ—st part of his Redemption made no alteration in the bâ—ginning or end of dayes so as to change the beginning of Goodfriday fâ—om Evening before to three of the clock in the afternoon that his Nativity about Midnight or his Ascention about Noon or eleven of the clock in the morning as is most probable did not translite the beginning of those dayes or any other to Midnight Noon or Morning though they were the first and last parts of of his work of Redemption why then should his Resurrection onely in the Morning a lesse principall part of his work than his Passion or perchance than his Nativity or Ascention the one of which preceded the other followed his Resurrection make such a change in dayes beginnings when neither of these three other did so If it be because it was a part of Christs Redemption So were the other three and yet they produced no such mutation and why a part of Christs Redemption should cause such an alteration onely because it is a part or why one inferior part of it alone should do it and not the chiefest why the intermediate not the first or last part of it transcends my apprehension If it be because God ordained it should effect such a transmutation then shew me expresse Scripture for it as none can do or else reject it for a groundlesse fancy as in truth it is But more of this in the Answer to the next Objection The second Objection is this Christs Resurrection on the first day of the week in the morning did actually change the beginning of the day from Evening to morning and constitute the Lords-day to begin at morning Therfore it ought to begin at morning If we câ—st this into a sormall Argument it will be more perspicuous Christs Resurrection the cause of the Lords-day was not till the morning Ergo the Lords-day must not begin till morning because the effect must needs be with or subsequent to the cause and cannot precede it whereas the effect should over-reach â—â—e cause in point of time if the Lords-day should begin at Evening Christs Resurrection beginning not till the morning This reason and argument is the main foundation whereon the Opposites build their errour wherefore I shall be more copious in discovering the sandinesse falshood and fallaciousnesse of it First therefore I answer that this whole Argument is but a chain of severall grosse falshoods and mistakes contrary to the Scriptures I wonder therefore why so many grave judicious men should be ensnared by it 1. The first of them the ground work of all the rest and of this errour concerning the Lords-day beginning at morning is this That Christs Resurrection did alter the beginning of that first day of the week whereon be arose from Evening to Morning which I have manifested to be an apparent Errour contrary to the Scriptures which testifie that that day began at Evening and that Christs Resurrection did nothing alter it as the third and fifth preceding Conclusions prove at large Wherefore I shall here demand of the Objectors how it appears that Christs Resurrection made such a change as they pretend If by Scripture shew one Text that necessarily proves it this I am sure they cannot do If not by Scripture then it is a meere groundlesse conceit of their own forging Yea but though they want Scripture yet they have this sound reason to prove it Christ rose again upon the first morning therefore he translated the beginning of it from Evenig to morning To which I reply that this main Capitall reason is but a grosse in consequent and a circular Argumentation For if the Argument be denyed as justly it may be then they prove it by that very medium which was next before denied and they ought to make good that Christs Resurrection did chanâ—e the day from morning to Evening there being no other medium but this to confirm it therefore if he rose again upon it in the morning he made such a change as they pretend So that this their reason is but Idem per Idem a Petitio principii a Circular dispute a grosse Non sequitur and so to be rejected as false and idle But yet a little more to lay open the falshhood of this Proposition That Chists Resurrection made such an alteration of that first dayes beginning which hath neither Scripture nor Reason to back it I would first demand this Question of them Why Christs Resurrection should produce such a Change when as his Nativity Passion and Ascention parts of his Redemption too as beneficiall to Christians as his Resurrection had no such effect 2. How they come to know that such a Change was de Facto made when no Scripture revâ—als or intimates it 3. How was it possible for Christs Resurrection to call back and adnul that beginning of the day which was irrevocably past and gone before it happened since by
their own Rule the effect cannot precede the cause and so by the same Reason Christs Resurrection in the morning could not operate à parte ante to change the beginning of that day which was actually past at Evening 4. Where they did â—ver read that occasions happening upon any dayes did alter or bound onâ— the beginning and end of dayes the dayes ever bounding out the occasions which we say happened upon such a day and houre not the occasions the dayes 5. How Christs Resurrection could change this dayes beginning when as it altered not its name nature or order it being still the first day of the week as it was at the Creation the week remaining yet the same and seeing it made no change in the course of the Sun and Moon of day and night which rule bound out and make up the naturall day 6. How that which hath no limits of its own but that which it had from the day on which it happened the first dayes morning being that which limited the Resurrection in point of time and reduced it to a certainty can possibly put bounds of time unto the day which bounds outit If they cannot resolve all these Queries they must then disclaim this main fundamentall Conclusion upon which they build their false grounded Error as I have formerly proved This is the first falshood The second is this That Christs Resurrection was the cause of the Lords-day This I say is both a falshood and a fallacy To make it more evidently so we must consider the Lords-day either as a naturall day consisting of 24 houres measured out by the Sunne or primum mrbile and made up of the night and artificiall day or as a Lords-day that is a day devoted and sequestred unto Gods immediate worship If we consider it materially or mâ—erly as a day it is clear that Christs Resurrection was no cause of the first day for that was instituted by God at the Creation Gen. 1. 5. who then appointed the Sunne Moon and Starres to rule limit govern both the day and night and to be the sole causes of them Gen. 1. 14. to 22. Psalm 74. 16 17. Psalm 136. 6 7 8. Psal. 104. 19. Jer. 31. 35 36. c. 33. 20. Neither could Christs Resurrection be the cause of that day on which he arose for it was begun before he rose again and it had been and continued a day though he had never risen on it therefore it was no cause of it as a day Besides all time is the measure of motion and so the motion of the Primum mobile the alone cause of it and of this day too Christs Resurrection thererefore being no cause of the Lords-day as a day could not alter the beginning of it in such manner as is prtended since the Lords-day hath no bounds or limits beginning or end neither is it properly a part of time but onely as it is a day not as a Lords-day Wherefore when you affirm that Christs Resurrection was the cause of the Lords-day therefore it changed the beginning of it your meaning is and must be that it was the cause of it and that it changed the beginning thereof as it was a naturall day the change here râ—lâ—â—ing onely to the time and limits of the day not simply to the quality as it is a Lords-day it having no limits at all as it is a Lords day but meerly as it is a naturall day which is a grosse a untruth as I have proved yea a fallacy too in applying that to this day as a day which is spoken onely and intended of it meerly as a Lords-day To illustrate this by an example The first day of the week is like to water in Baptisme to Bread and Wine in the Sacrament to a Church that is consecrated or to one abou to enter into Orders Now as we use to say thâ—t Baptisme doth change the water the Sacramentall consecration the bread and wine Consecration Canonicall the Church and ordination the man if we mean they change their very nature essence and substance the speech is meerly false for they continue in nature in substance the same they were before if we intend they onely alter their use which is true and yet apply this alteration to the substance as the Papists do in case of the Sacament arguing thus the Fathers say that the Bread and Wine are changed after Consecration to wit in their use onely Ergo they are transubstantiated and changed in their substance then it is but a fallacy or equivocation which being explained proves but a meere Non sequitur since the change in the use or quality onely infers no necessary alteration in the Substance So when the Objectors say that Christs Resurrection did change the first day of the week if they mean onely that it was the occasion why the use of it was altered from a common day to an holy day or when they affirm that Christs Resurrection was the cause of the Lords day that is the cause why the first day was and is solemnized as a Lords-day their words are true in this sense onely but then they neither prove nor imply any change at all in the limits beginning or end of the first day or in the day it self but in its use alone and so the day continues the same in all these respects as it was before But when they go thus far as to prove that Christs Resurrection on it did alter the very beginning and end and so the nature and limits of the day because it was the occasion of altering its use which is the thing they intend in both these Propositions then the Argumentation is sophisticall and the Conclusion this grosse inconsequent Christs Resurrection was the cause of turning the first day of the week into the Lords-day Ergo it translated the beginning of that day from morning to Evening An Argument so absurd that the Objectors may now do well to blush at it Again if we consider this day onely as it is a Lords-day that is as a time consecrated to Gods publick worship if the Objectors intend by this Proposition Christs Resurrection in the morning was the cause of the Lords-day that is it did actually consecrate that very first day whereon he arose and all others succeeding it for a Lords-day even that very morning on which he arose again as in truth they do then I say it seems to me an apparent untruth For though it be true that his Resurrection on that day was one generall originall occasion of solemnizing it for the Lords-day yet it is untrue that his bare Resurrection onely was the immediate efficient constitutive cause of sanctifying it for a Sabbath or Lords-day or that it did sanctifie that very day on which Christ arose for a Sabbath or Lords-day even at that very time of the morning when he arose For first Gods resting from his work of Creation on the seventh day is paralell in reason with Christs Resurrection
on the first day in point of constituting either of them for a Sabbath or Holy day as all acknowledge But Gods resting on the seventh day was onely the originall impulsive not the immediate efficient constitutive cause of the seventh day Sabbath for it was not a Sabbath as soon as God began to rest or only because he rested on it but because he blessed and consecrated it for a Sabbath and commanded Adam and his posterity to sanctifie it for a Sabbath as is clear by Gen 2. 2 3. Exod. 20. 7. to 12. for he sanctified it for a Sabbath because he had rested on it so that his rest was onely the occasion why this dâ—y was consecrated for a Sabbath rather than any of the other six but that which made it a Sabbath was Gods peculiar blessing consecration and institution of it for a Sabbath So Gods passing over the Isâ—aelites and slaving the Egyptians was the occasion why the 14. day of the first Moneth was solemnized â—or a Passâ—ovâ—r-day but that which constituted it to be such a day was not his passing over the Israelites but his expresse command to them to observe it throughout all their generations Exâ—d. 12 4. to 40. The Jews deliverance from Haman and thâ—iâ— other Enemies was the cause or reason why they * annually observed the fourteenth and fifteenth dayes of the Moneth Adar as solemn Festivals and the deliverance from the a Gunpowder-Treason the occasion why we observe the fifth of November as an annuall Festivall which Feast we generally begin at Evening since we then usually begin to ring our bells in memory of our deliverance the morning following but the immâ—diate efficient constituting cause of these dayes for Holy-dayes was neither the Jews deliverance nor ours but the Law and ordinance of the Jews Esth. 9. 20 to 29. and the Staâ—ute of 3 Jacâ—biâ—c 1. which ordained those dayes to be solemnized and kept holy So it is in all other dayes solemnities whatsoever not the occasion of their celebration but the authority and command to sanctifie them is that which b constitutes them Holy-dayes therefore by the self same reason Christs bare Resurrection was onely the occasion why the Lords-day was afterwards sanctified and observed but that which constituted and made it a Lords-day or Christian Sabbath was some Precept or Ordinance of Christ or his Apostles or of the Primitive Church without which it had not been actually a Lords-day or Sabbath in point of sanctification though Christ did rise upon it 2. If Christs bare Resurrection without more Ceremony did actually consecrate that very first day on which he arose and all others for a Sabbath or Lords-day what need then those many large Discourses of Divines concernning the time when the persons by whom or the Authority by which the Sabbath was translated from the seventh day to the first or this instituted for a Lords-day Certainly if the very Resurrection of Christ did actually perform all this that very morning on which he arose all these disputes were at an end But few or none have been so absurd as to make Christs bare Resurrection the immediate constituting cause of the first day for a Sabbath or Lords-day much lesse of that very day upon which Christ arose which all the a Evangelists stile the First day of the week Even as it was Christs Resurrection day which shews that it was not then actually constituted for a Sabbath or Lords-day but continued an ordinary week-day as before Therefore it is not probable that it made â—uch a change or consecration of that very day 3. None of the Evangelists in their Histories of Christs Resurrection make mention either in direct terms or by way of necessary inference that our Saviours bare Resurrection consecrated that very first day whereon he arose or any succeeding it for a Sabbath or Lords-day much lesse that it changed the beginning thereof from morn-ning to Evening Therefore certainly no such alteration as is suâ—mised was actually effected by it 4. Had Christs Resurrection actually constituted that day on which he arose and all other fiâ—st dayes ensuing for a Sabbath or Lords day without further Ceremony even on that day when he arose then that day had been consecrated for a Sabbath or Lords-day and the seventh day Sabbath hadbeen translated to it before any man did or could take notice oâ— this alteration before any knew this day was instituted for a Sabbath or â—ords-day yea before it was known or believed that Christ was risen again to or by his Disciples For the b Scripture is expresse that he appeared not unto them till towards the Evening of that day at which time Thomas was absent and some of them doubted whether he were risen again or whether it was he or no so that it is certain they observed not that first day as a Sabbath or Lords-day in memory of his Resurrection But it is altogether improbable that Christ would consecrate that day for a Sabbath or Lords-day before his Disciples or any other knew of it or that he would make an alteration of the Sabbath which so much concerned the Apostles and Church in private without their presence or pâ—ivity oâ— that he would consecâ—ate that day for a Sabbath or Lords-day in memory of his Resurrection before it was certainly known that he was risen or before he had shewed himself to his Disciples after he was risen or before any did know it to be a Lords-day or Sabbath it being made so only for man Mar. 2. 27. not for Christ himself or Angels who were onely present with him when he arose For Christ being onely wise did all things in b the fittest season and in a publick manner in the presence of his disciples who were to be witnesses of all his actions speeches Acts 1. 2 3 c. 2. 32. c. 10. 40 41 42 43. 1 Johnâ— 1 3. 2 Pet. 1. 16 17 18. Luke 1. 2. Therefore he would not he did not institute that very day whereon he arose for a Sabbath or Lords-day at the time when he arose which the Evangelists certainly would have mentioned being a matter of such moment to the Church and Christians had it been done in truth as pretended onely but not proved neither in truth can be If therefore the Objectors affirm that Christs Resurrection was the cause of the Lords-day as a Lords-day that is an immediate constituting cause of it and that at the very moment when he arose then it is a palpable untruth as the premises manifest If they mean by cause onely the impulsive cause or originall occasion of its future consecration or institution for a Sabbath or Lords-day then their Argument is but this Christs Resurrection the occasion of Christians solemnizing the Lords-day as a Lords-day or Sabbath was in the morning Ergo the Lords-day must being at morning which is but a meere Non sequitur because the occasions of sanctifying any dayes for Sabbaths or Holy-dayes do not
bound out the beginning or end of the dayes for then these days must begin and conclude when the occasiâ—ns of their solemnization do But on the contrary tâ—e dayes do ever limit the occasions and Fâ—stivalls which must begin and end with the dayes to which they are confined This I shall make maniâ—est by examples and make good by unanswerable reasons For Examples we have all the Festivalls in Scripture which together with their occasions are restrained to the bounds of dayes not the limits of dayes to them To instance in particulars When God himself instituted the seventh day for a Sabbath because on it he had rested from all his works of Creation he confined the Sabbath and his rest to the seventh day not the seventh day to it blessing the seventh day and hallowing it not changing the beginning ending limits or order of it in the week but the use Gen. 2. 2 3. Exod. 20. 7. to 12. When God instituted the fourteenth day of the Moneth Abib for a Passeover day in memory of his passing over the Israelites and slâ—ying the Egyptians at Midnight he ordained that Feast to begin at Evening because the day to which this Festivall was confined did then begin not at Midnight whâ—n the occasion of its solâ—mnization happened Exod. 11. 4. c. 12. 3 6. 12. 10 40. Lev. 23 5. Numb. 9. 11. Deut. 16. 4. Josh. 5 10. So all the other Jewish Feasts * began and ended at Evening as the dayes on whiâ—h they were solemnized did the limits of the day being the bounds of the Festivalls not the Festivalls or their occasions the boundaries of the day a Festivall or Holy day being none other but a common day set apart and dedicated to Gods speciall honour and service Therefore being but a common day consecrated must needs begin and end â—s the day doth This is manifest by Exod. 12. 18. c. 13. 3 4. c. 14. 30. c. 35. 2. Levit. 23 3 to 43. Numb. 29. 1. Josh. 10. 12 13 14. Judges 5. 1. 1 Sam. 14. 23. Neh 8 9 10 11. Esth. 8. 12. c 9. 17 18 19 22. Psalm 81. 3. Psal. 118. 24. Isa. 22. 12. Matth. 28. 1. Mark 16. 1. Luke 23. 56. c. 21. 1. Wherâ— all Festivalls Fasts and memorable occasions are regulated by dayes not dayes by them the Festivalls and Feasts ever beginning and ending with the dayes to which they are appropriated not the dayes or Festivalls or Fasts with the occasions of their solemnization So in all annual or weekly Holy-dayes Feasts or Fasts instituted by men let the occasions of their institution happen what houre or time of the day they will at morning noon or afternoon yet we still begin the solemnization of them when the day begins For Example our Saviours Passion on the Crosse was not till about three of the clock in the afternoon John 9. 14 Mark 15. 34. Yet we solemnise our Goodfriday in memory of his Passion from the time the day begins So our Saviours Ascension as is probable by Acts 1. 9 10 11 12. 13. Luk. 24. 50 51 52. was about Noon or after yet we begin the Festivall of his Ascension with the dayes inception whereon it was So the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles in cloven tongues ' was about nine of the clock in the monring Acts 2. 15. Yet we solemnize our Whitsonday in memory thereof from that dayes inception Our deliverance from the a Gunpowder Treason on the fifth of November was about nine or ten in the morning or after when the King Queen Prince Lords and Commons should have mâ—t together in the Lords-house though suspected and in part discovered ten dayes before and actually detected at Midnight yet we begin the solemnization of it from the foregoing Evening with ringing of Bells and the like The Birth of many of our Princes hath been about noon or after and their Coronations about that time yet we solemnize their Birth-dayes and Coronation-dayes from those dayes beginnings The Crown descended to our present Soveraign King Charls in the afternoon yet we solemnize not that day from Noon to Noon but from Evening to Evening because the day doth then commence and end and so the solemnity confined onely to that day that whole day not to part of it and part of the ensuing day If then all Festivalls whatsoever begin and end with the dayes beginning and end on which they are kept not at the very time of those dayes when the occasions of their solemnization happened as these and other infinite other examples testifie Why should not the Lords-day begin at Evening though Christs Resurrection the chief cause of its sanctification was not till morning because that day as a day doth then begin and determine Certainly whatever the Opposites conceipt it must needs do so and that for these unanswerable Reasons First because God himself at the very Creation hath set inviolable bounds for the beginning and end of daves and weeks appointing them to be as so many Royall Standards for the limiting or measuring out of all Festivall occasions happening on them and reducing them to a certainty as I have manifested at large in the fourth Conclusion wherefore no event or Festivalls happening on those dayes can alter the limits or beginning of them nor make them longer or shorter no more than the Corn to be measured by the peck or bushell or the cloth to be measured by the yard can alter limit or measure out the quantity of the peck bushell or length of the yard Secondly because every occasion that may cause a subsequent consecration of a day for a Sabbath or Holy day and so Christs Resurrection doth only dedicate that day yea all that day on which it falls not part of that day and part of the day ensuing on which it did not happen therefore consecrating onely that very day all that day and no other day but that it must needs begin and end when that day doth Now that very day on which our Saviour arose began and ended at Evening as I have proved his Resurrection therefore being the cause of consecrating all that day not part of it and part of the following day for the Lords-day this day as a Lords-day must necessarily begin and conclude at Evening Thirdly because no occasion of consecrating the day on which it falls extends in point of Consecration further than that very day which is set as the utmost limits of it But should the Lords-day begin and end at morning or Midnight not at Evening Christs Resurrection the cause of its consecration should extend beyond the bounds of the day to consecrate half or at least a quarter of the second day for a Lords-day on which he arose and besides it should not consecrate all that day on which it happened but that part onely which ensued not that which preceded it since that day began at Evening as I have proved Both which were absurd to affirm Therefore it must
the 〈…〉 it doth and is ever coâ—tanâ—ous with it theâ—â—fâ—â—â— tâ—â— Lâ—â—ds day ought to bâ—gin in the Morning because â—â— Râ—suâ—â—â—ction the cause of it bâ—gan then The fiâ—st â—f thâ—â— Aâ—â—uments is a Non sequitur because thouâ—â— the efâ—â—â—t cannot precede the cause in naturall things as the Son cannot be before the Father was yet it followes not that the effect should ever be as ancient as or contemporany with the cause or the Son be as old as the Fathâ—r or born together with him So it follows not that because the Lords day as a Lords day could not begin to be observed hallowed as such a day before that Morning whereon Christ arose Ergo it must begin at Morning and could not be instituted to begin the Evening of the next or any other first day following it Again the Antecâ—dâ—nt of the latter Argument is falf for although the originall cause or occasion doth usually precede the effect in point of time as Christs Resurrection did the institution of the Lords day yet it follows not that the Lords day must begin at that very point of time when Christ arose So that there is a fallacy in this Argument in arguing from the effect to the Cause that it cannot precede it when as the Proposition ought to be that it is ever contemporary and must begin at the same time with it Thirdly There is a Transitio à genere ad Genus and that in two particulars 1. In making Christs Resurrection the cause of the Lords-day as it is a naiurall day when as it was no cause of it as a day but onely the reason why it was instituted for a Lords-day So that the Argument should be thus propounded Christs Resurrection was the cause why the first day was instituted for a Lords-day but that began at Morning Ergo the Lords-day must then begin because the day must then begin when the occasion of its institution for a Lords-day began which I have proved to be false 2. In applying that to the beginning of the day which is applycable onely to the beginning of its institution for a Lords-day in this maxime that the effect cannot precede the cause that is the Lords-day must not be instituted in memory of Christs Resurrection before Christ was actually risen which yet may be false since the Feast of the Passeover was instituted at Evening and solemnized in part before God actually passed over the Israelites and slew the Egyptians at Midnight following which was the cause of its institution Exod. 12. 3. to 40. and so might the Lords-day too be instituted in this manner before Christs Resurrection Therefore after his Resurrection past it could not be instituted to begin the Evening of that first day of the week on which he arose Which is a meere inconsequent For what though Christ did not rise till the Morning yet that day on which he arose began at Evening and therefore his Resurrection relating to the whole day as his Resurrection day this day of the week if not before yet after his Resurrection past might be well solemnized for a Lords-day even from Evening to Evening without any violation of the true meaning of this Maxime Since we solemnize not the day as the precise minute or houre but as the weekly day of his Resurrection every part whereof may be part of his Resurrection day though not part of that very hour of the day whereon he arofe If then these Fallacies be abandoned the whole summe and Force of the Objection is but this in honest Termes Christs Resurrection in the morning was the originall occasion why the first day of the week whereon he arose was afterwards instituted for the Lords-day and so solemnized Ergo the first day as the Lords-day must begin and end at morning at that moment when Christ arose not at Evening neither could it be instituted to begin at Even Which as all the premises manifest is a grosse inconsequent All that is or can be replied to help out this maimed reason is this That the first day whereon Christ arose had two beginnings One as a Lords day and that was at morning when he arose the other as a meer naturall day viz. at Evening and that Christs Resurrection gave it a new beginning as a Lords-day not as a naturall day To this I answer 1. That this distinction is but a meer Forgery warranted by no Scripture reason or convincing Authority and therefore it ought first to be proved ere received 2. It is but a begging of the Question disputed not an Answer of the Reasons objected 3. It is a meere falshood For 1. That very day whereon Christ arose was not consecrated at his Resurrection for a Lords-day as I have proved therefore it could not begin at morning as a Lords-day seeing it was no Lords-day 2. The Lords-day is nothing else but the first day of the week and the first day of the week is the Lords-day they being terntini convertibiles therefore they have but one and the self-same beginning and end 3. That first day on which Christ arose even as his Resurrection day began at Evening as I have proved therefore it began then as it was the Lords day it being the Lords-day onely as it is his Resurrection day 4. Had that first day as a day â—â—â—un at morning then it must needs be either an half-holy-day â—ut of 12 houres long the Evening and night preceding it being no part of it or else it must be a Lords-day patched up of a piece of the first day and a part of the second day to wit of the day light of the first and the night of second and not that intire first day whereon Christ arose Either of which is an absurdity to averre therefore as a Lords-day it must begin at Evening to avoid these absurdities By all which it is now most clearly evident that this Grand Objection is both false absurâ— and fallacious proving nothing at all against me and no ground to rely upon The third main Argument to prove that the Lords-day begins at morning not at Evening is that of John 20. 19. The same day at Evening being the first day of the Week when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the middest c. whence it may be objected That the same first day whereon Christ rose again ended not at Evening as the words The same day at Evening being the first day of the week import that Evening being part of the first day not of the second therefore it began not at Evening in Saint Johns accompt and our Saviours Resurrection in it translated its beginning from Evening to Morning To this I answer first that this Text makes nothing at all against me For the Scripture makes mention of two Evenings one of the artificiall day which we commonly call day beginning when the sund clines somewhatâ—efore sunset
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 heâ— to â—â—d Fourthly The beginning or ending of a Sâ—â—mâ—n or one publick meeting â—ay the coâ—stâ—â— practisâ— of all Churches and places from the beginning and ending their publick Lords day exerâ—iâ—â—â— which is much more is no concluding Argument of it self 〈◊〉 to pâ—â—vâ— the true beginning and end of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 Lords-day For the Jews themselves 〈◊〉 Christ himâ—â—â—â—â—nd the Apostles began their publick Sâ—â—mâ—ns and 〈◊〉 on the Sabbath day about eight or nine of the clock in the morning and concluded them â—â—out four or five in the afternoon as we and all other Churches â—ow use to begin and end our publick Lords-dâ—â—es solemnities can or will any man therâ—foâ—e hence 〈…〉 Eâ—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 Assâ—mâ—lâ—s on 〈◊〉 do then usually begin and determine Nâ—â— vâ—â—ily â—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-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 Lâ—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 Assembâ—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 consciâ—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 yâ—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. Dâ—ut. 5. 13 14 15. neither might themselves or the strangers within their gates do any work thereon Levit. 16 29. as they might nâ—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. 2â— 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 dâ—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 thâ—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 effâ—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 provâ—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 Pâ—est â— 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. eiâ— p. 44. l. 12. r. noctem p. 50.
ending with the twiliâ—â—t or Sun â—eâ— or when the Evening stâ—â— begins to shine wch Evening is a part of the preceding day both in our 〈◊〉 usuall and the Scripture a Computation the day Evening when this morning determines Of which b Evening we mâ—y read Prov. 7. 9. Mark 1. 32. Exod 29 39. â—â—â—t 23. 11. Judges 9. 9 11 14 16. Josh. 8. 29. c. 10. 26 27. 2 〈◊〉 3. 37. Maâ—th 25. 57. Mark 15. 42. Luke 23. 43 44. Fâ—xâ—d 12. 6. Num. 9. 3. c. 28. 4. and Deut. 21. 23. compared together which is sometimes stiled Evening tide Josh. 8. 29 Gen. 24. Gen. 24. 63. Josh 7. 6. 2 Sam. 11. 2. Isa. 17. 14. Judges 19 9. The other is the Evening of the night beinning after Sun set or just with the Star-light just when the twiâ—lâ—ht endeth and the night and naturall day in the Scripture and Jâ—ws accompt begin which Evening is a part the very beginning of the ensuing day of which we may read Gen. 1 5 8. 13. to 24 31. Exod 3â— 8 Levit. 11. 24. 40. c. 14. 46. c. 15. 5 â—o 27. c. 17. 15. to 3â— c. 32. 6. c. 23. 32. Numb. 19. 8 10. Deut. 28. 67. Judges 20. 23 26 2 Sam. 1. 12. 1 Sam. 30 17. Prov. 7. 9. Psal. 104. 23. Jer. 6. 4. Hab. 1. 18 Zeph. 2. 7. c. 3. 3. Jer. 5. 6 Neh. 13. 19. Deut. 16. 4. Exod. 12. 6. Levit. 23. 5. Mark 13. 35. compared one with the other Of both these Evenings we find expresse mention Exod. 12. 6 Num. 9. 3. and 28. 4. Where the Jews are commanded to kill the Passeover BETWEEN the TWO EVENINGS that is as most accord between the Evening of the day and Evening of the night Which space between these two Evenings both we ouâ— selves and the c Scriptures call Twilight that is the space between two lights to wit the Light of the Sunne and the Light of the Starres or Candle-light or the space between Sun setting and Star-shining which space most hold belongs to the precedent day the Evening which begins the night and following day really commencing when the Evening d star begins to appear which Star called e VESPER both denominates and begins the Evening of the night and the ensuing naturall day There being therefore these two Evenings both in the Scripture computation and our own the sole Question will be on which of the Evenings it was that Christ thus appeared to his Disâ—iples and what Evening it is Saint John here speaks of Questionlesle it was the Evening of the day noâ— of the night First because the Text is expresse that it was the same day at Even being the first day of the week that is whiles the first day was yet in being and before it was quite ended therefore it was it must be the Evening of the day which in the Scripture and Jewish accompt which Saint John follows was a part of the precâ—ding first day not the Evening of the night which was in their compute a parcell of the second day not of the first as I have proved 2. All Divines accord that this very first day on which Christ arose and thus appeared to his Disciples began and ended at Evening as the third and fifth Conclusions manifest Therefore this Euening can be no other but the Evening of the first day not of the night since this day both began and ended when the Evening of the night began 3. This Text informs us that when Christ thus appeared unto his Disciples at Evening he shewed them his hands and his feet and that they saw and knew him perfectly Now neither Saint John nor any other Evangelist make a mention of any lights in the room where they were by which they might see him therefore it is most probable that they saw him by day light or Sunshine by which they could best of all discern him And if by day light there being nothing in Scripture to controll it this Evening was questionlesse the Evening of the day before Sunset as soon as ever the Disciples came all together 4. Christs love to his Disciples who would not absent himself from them long nor leave them in suspence of the truth of his â—esurrection which they heard of before by relation onely and other evidences may induce us to believe that it was the first * of these two Evenings to wit the Evening of the day and Saint Peters speech to Cornelius Acts 10. 40. 41. Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly thereâ—ore at day time as is likelyest by 1 Sam. 12. 11 12. c. 16. 22. Psal. 98. 2. Isa. 52. 10. Col. 2. 15. not to all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drinke with him after he rose from the dead implies as much This therefore being the Evening of the day and so a part of that fiâ—st day in the Scripture and Jâ—ws compute makes nothing at all against me Secondly This Text mentions not at all this day as a Lords-day but onely as the first day of the Week whereon Christ rose neither doth it or any other Scripture inform us that Christ made any translation of this dayes beginning to the morning Nor doth it follow that the day must begin at morning or midnight because it did not end at that time of the Evening when Christ appeared to his Disciples for it might determine soon after his appearance as the words being the first day of the week subjoyned to the premises seem to infinuâ—te and so not begin at morning or midnight This Objection therefore no wayes impairs the truth of my assertion The fourth Objection upon which some much rely is that of Acts 20. 7. to 12. where Paul and the Disciples at Troas continued their Assembly on the first day of the week till day-breaking and Paul himself then preached untill Midnight Ergo The Lords-day begins and ends not at Evening but at Morning say some at Midnight say others To this I answer First that this Assâ—mbly of theirs on this day began our Saturday nighâ— not our Sunday and continued till our Sunday not our Mâ—nday morning as I have formerly proved at large and therefore it makes wholly for not against me Secondly admit this meeting was upon our Sunday at night which I would have the Objectors prove as wâ—ll as affirm yet it concludes nought against my assâ—rtion First Because this Sermon of Pauls continuing till midnight and this their continuance all night together till the morning was extraordinary upon an extraordinary occasion to wit Pauls departuâ—e from them the next morning v. 7. Therefore no Argument to prove the ordinary beginning or end of the Lords-day 2. As this Sermon and Assembly was extraordinary so is it singular without any paâ—alâ—â— example to second it either in Sâ—â—ipture or antiquiâ—y which make no mention of any such Sermons or Assemblies used on