beginning of the Creation nor from any set Epoche For then it would have put the most skilful Mathematicians to a stand for the finding out when this seventh day should begin but it is the day following the six days of labour In what Countrey soever a man is though he is not well skilled in the Language of that place and doth not understand what the names of the week-days signifie yet if he can tell which be their six work-days he may then tell also which is their seventh day It maketh not much by what names the days of the week be called nor what the signification of either or any of the week-days should be The seventh day of the week with Christians hath been called by divers several names and that even by Christians themselves such as these Sunday The Lords day The first day of the Week And in latter times it hath been called also the Sabbath-day but in the first times Christians would not call it the Sabbath-day because all the Gentiles detested the name of Sabbath as the Jews did the name of Sunday as before is shewed Neither could they relish this name for a good while after their Conversion It is not much matter by which of these names we call our seventh day nor whether we understand the signification of the name as what Sunday or The Lords day or The first day of the week do signifie or why we do so call our seventh day Though he do not know it to be called Sunday from our Heathen Ancestors who called this day so in honour of the Sun whom they Worshipped nor know it to be called the Lords day because it is his Sabbath who Sanctified it nor know it to be called the first day of the week for that the Jews called this day the first of the Sabbath and so was called by them in Sacred Scripture and for that the latter Translators of the Bible would have this name by which the Jews called it to be in our Tongue called the first day of the week So as that now we count it not the day of the Sun as our Heathen Ancestors did nor count it to be the first of our work-days or first in order and tale of our week-days as the Jews did The name of the day doth neither add or alter any thing of the nature thereof Thirdly Here is set down the equity of this Law It is so reasonable that none need complain The Lord alloweth man six days and reserveth but one for himself Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath How unreasonable are such who are not contented with the Lord 's liberal allowance but incroach on the Lords day also which he reserved for his own honour and worship Fourthly In that the Lord did in many words set down so punctually 1. The works from which men are restrained 2. The persons who are restrained The works forbidden are all kind of Trades Professions and Occupations which on other days men do or may use for getting their living and maintenance There is no word in English which doth so fully express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which here the Lord forbiddeth to be done as doth Function Art or Occupation as I shewed before so that none can excuse himself saying that his Profession requireth little or no labour of the Body as do Husbandry and divers other Handicrafts for God forbids 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Vocations Functions or Occupations Men ought to abstain from all their works of what Profession or Vocation soever they be Yea these works are not only forbidden in respect of the labour of the hand but of the Tongue and mind also we should not be talking of them neither should our hearts and minds run on them on the Lords day As God for the furtherance of Mans true Obedience to this Law hath fully shewed the works we are forbidden to do so doth he also as fully and in many words shew who are forbidden to do any of these works Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter nor c. Whosoever hath any authority and command over himself must not only be careful that he himself abstain from his labours but also if he hath authority and command over others as Son Daughter Man or Maid Ox or Ass he is to see that they also cease from all work-day labours on the seventh day he is not to imploy any of them He nor any of his may imploy either Ox or Ass nor lend or let them to hire for their labour on the seventh day or on any part of that day The Lords expressions are large herein that so all pretences and excuses may be taken away Fifthly The Lord sheweth here and would have us to know that we have no right unto the seventh day nor to any part thereof for doing of our own works thereon for the seventh day is the Lords day and not ours it is The Sabbath of the Lord thy God as it is in this place in our Bibles so Translated it is saith God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbath to the Lord that is a Rest or Cessation to the Lord as before I have shewed See chap. 8. It is a day Holy to the Lord and therefore none other than the Lords All the Tithe of the Land whether the seed of the Land or of the Fruit of the Tree in the time of the Law was the Lords Levit. 27.30 and so was the Tithe of the Herd or of the Flock even of whatsoever passed under the rod verse 32. for the Tithe of all these were Holy to the Lord verse 30 32. and therefore they were the Lords they were his Seed his Fruit his Lambs c. One Lamb was no more Holy than another when they fell from their Damms and before they were Tithed out the Possessor of them might have mingled them at his pleasure he was not tied to begin his Tithing at one Lamb rather than at another but from what Lamb soever he began every tenth Lamb that in order passed under the Rod was the Lords he might not then change it nor search whether it was good or bad verse 33. it was then Holy to the Lord it was the Lords Lamb and of such as detained the tenth the Lord complained that they had robbed him Mal. 3.8 9. And so I say concerning the seventh day in the like sense that one day of it self is no more Holy than is another Christians were not tied by any Divine Law to begin their week or sevening from any set particular time but they continuing their accustomed week and so beginning their sevening from the day of Christs Resurrection the seventh from thence in an orderly course is Sacred to the Lord it is the Lord's day no man upon his particular occasions may change the same he may not say My business is such that I cannot keep this Sabbath-day but I will keep another day in the
to be the latter part as I will more fully shew in the fourth Chapter See chap. 4. CHAP. III. The Horizontal day What the parts of the Horizontal day are And which part is the former THE Horizontal day with any Nation is that space of time in which the Sun is in going from their Horizon at its rising until it cometh again into their Horizon at its next rising or from their Horizon at its setting until it come unto their Horizon again at its next setting or more briefly thus The Horizontal day is the time between Sun-rising and Sun-rising or between Sun-setting and Sun-setting The parts of the Horizontal day are two the one is the Artificial day or day-light of which we may read in Genesis Gen. 1.5 14 16. and 8.22 and 31 39. the other part is the night or darkness called by (a) Clav. de Sphoâ—r Clavius the Artificial night and which in Antient timâ—e was divided with the Jews into three watches the evening watch the middle watch and the morning watch but after that when they were subdued by the Romans they divided the night as the Romans did into four watches The Artificial day or day-light was Antiently counted to be the former part of this day and the night the latter part and so not only before the Israelites coming out of Egypt but after their deliverance did they count this day so to begin in respect of their civil affairs as may appear First For that when the parts of this day were mentioned the morning was set before the night before the Israelites coming out of Egypt Gen. 1.16 18. and 8.22 and 7.4.12.38 39 40. yea and commonly afterwards too Lev. 8.35 Ex. 13.21 22. Numb 9.21 though they had the beginning of their days altered Secondly because at what time soever of the day-light they spake of the night following they expressed the same thus To night this night the same night Gen. 19.34 and 26.24 1 Chron. 17.3 Numb 11.32 Jos 4.3 Judg. 6.25 and 7.9 as belonging to the same day and not to the day after that And whenever they at any time of the day-light spake of the night past they never used such expressions whereby it may seem to belong as a part of the day following but contrariwise shewing it to be a part of the day before-going as yesternight Gen. 31.42 and 19.33 34. the night of yesterday Also at night when they spake of the day following they used not to say To day or this day as they did of the day before-going but To morrow or the morrow after Numb 33.3 1 Sam. 19.11 and to morrow signifieth another day Mat. 6.34 Jam. 4.13 14. When the Israelites came out of Egypt the night was made the former part of the day even from that night in which they had their deliverance It was a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the Land of Egypt This is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the Children of Israel in their generations Exod. 12.42 They were commanded after that time to Celebrate their Sabbath from Even to Even Lev. 23.32 And therefore so did they begin their week-days also whereby their Sabbath-day was measured out to be unto them their seventh day otherwise their seventh day would not have been proportionable to their six days of labour Their year also had thenceforth a new beginning They must not begin their year in Tisri as they did before but with that Month in which they had their freedom This month shall be unto you the beginning of months Exod. 12.2 This month called by the Hebrews Abib Exod. 13.4 and 23.15 Deut. 16.1 and by the Chaldeans Nisan Esth 4.7 which consisted partly of our March and partly of April being with them the month after the Vernal Equinoctial was their first month thenceforth so that whereas before they began their year after their Harvest and after all their in-gathering of the fruits of the Earth was ended Exod. 23.16 and 34.22 which was partly in our September after this they were to begin their year farthest off from that time They had then a new-year and a new month and a new day to begin the year withal No otherwise than if the day of their deliverance had been their birth day for their deliverance was a kind of a new birth unto them The beginning of the year was then changed for the greater lustre unto the birth of the Church saith Calvin And the new time of the day had they to begin their first day of the year for their Caput anni or New years-years-day was a sacred day with them they began it at even at the going down of the Sun at the season they came forth out of the land of Egypt Deut. 16.6 then was their deliverance made and Sealed up unto them in the Passover So that although in respect of their Civil affairs they begun their year their months their days as they did before yet in this their New Ecclesiastical or Sacred year or Computation of time they began their day at Even All their Sabbath-days and all other their sacred days and so all their week days for measuring out unto them their Sacred days began at the Even they had the evening to be the former part of the day And this may be one reason why Moses in rehearsing the works of Creation setteth the evening before the morning as I said before See chap. 2. CHAP. IV. Meridional day what it is The parts thereof and which the former part THE Meridional day is the time from mid-night to mid-night or from noon to noon with any People or more largely thus The Meridional day with any People is that space of time in which the Sun is in going from their Meridian at mid-night untill it come into that of their Meridian again at their next mid-night Or else from their Meridian at noon untill it come into that part of their Meridian again at noon The parts of the Meridional day are these two the Morning and the Evening The Morning is all the time in which the Sun is in its rising until it come unto its greatest height that is all the time between mid-night and noon is the Morning And the Evening is all the time the Sun is in its descending that is all the time between noon and midnight Thus Christians generally now do and formerly have counted and called these parts of this day If common service unto God hath been done in Churches or Colledges at any time in the forenoon either at three four six nine or eleven of the Clock it was commonly called by the name of Mattius Morning-Service or Morning-Prayer and if it had been done at any time in the afternoon it was then commonly called Evening-Song Evening-Prayer Evening-Service or such like though it had been done by day-light or by Candle-light So also the People of God did in Antient times divide the day into such parts
the first day The first things God made were day and night or light and darkness They were neither of them in time before the other but were both Coëtaneous There was in nature before though not in time a mixed or confused darkness which Moses called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.2 which Arias Montanus correcting Pagnin translateth and calleth it Caligo it was neither perfect day nor perfect night But when God had thence formed the light and made it to shine out of the darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 and had divided the light from the darkness so as that they should never be both in one Hemisphere but succeed in order each other which is called Gods Covenant of the day and of the night Jer. 33.20 God then called that light so divided Day and that darkness so divided called by Moses Emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God called night Gen. 1.4 5. the full Revolution of both which was the first day in this division of the light and darkness or day and night though the night was before the day in one Hemisphere and the day before the night in the other yet in respect of the whole Universe neither of them was before the other in time When the first day began somewhere when it was night at the same time that first day began some otherwhere when it was day-light every where did the first day begin at the same time The second day and the third day in like manner were Universal days When God stretched out the firmament on the second day it was every where then the second day On the next day also wheresoever God the Universal Worker did his work throughout the whole round in gathering together the Waters making the Seas and dry Land there every where was it the third day And after that every where was it the same third day where God made the Earth to bring forth Grass and Herbs and fruit-trees Gen. 1.11 12 13. no where was it then either the second or fourth day The fourth day in which the Sun Moon and Stars were made was an Universal day When it was the fourth day any where it was the fourth every where It is not revealed in what part of the fourth day those lights of Heaven were made but most certain is it that when the Sun first appeared to the World on that day it was over some part of the Earth at that time making it to be noon there and in all places in that Hemisphere which were in the same Meridian with the Sun And that in many places ninety degrees East from thence it was Sun-setting and in as many places ninety degrees West from thence it was then at the same time Sun-rising Also that in the other Hemisphere to which the Moon or Stars appeared it was then night and mid-night there in those places that were in the same Meridian with the Sun So that although on that fourth day Sun-setting was before Sun-rising in some places and Sun-rising before Sun-setting in some other places and in some places noon was before either of the other and in some other places mid-night was before them all yet in respect of the whole Earth not one of them was on that fourth day before the other But at the Suns first appearing and shining over half the Earth it was at that very instant the fourth day as well where it was Sun setting or Sun-rising as where it was noon and likewise it was then the fourth day also in the other part of the Earth to which the Moon or Stars first appeared For neither the Sun Moon or Stars appeared to any place on the third day which was the day before they were made and the fifth day was not then begun The like I say for the fifth day and for the sixth day when God made Fish and Foul on the fifth day or when he made Adam the last of his Creatures on the sixth day it was then after Sun-setting in some places and before Sun-rising in some other places and it was then noon in some places and mid-night in some other places yet all on the same day The like I say also for the seventh day the day of Gods rest When God rested from all his Works that he had made it was no where then the sixth day but every where the seventh day The day of Gods rest began in some places at Sun-rising in some places at Sun-setting and in some at noon and in other some at mid-night in the same day For so was it on the fourth day when the Sun first appeared and so when it was half ended and so likewise when it was fully ended and therefore so was it when the fifth sixth or seventh day began or ended It is not revealed and therefore no man can know what or where in the Earth those places are where it was Sun-rising or Sun-setting or noon or mid-night either when the Sun first shined forth to the World or when half of that fourth day was ended or when it was fully ended and therefore no man can tell nor possibly can any find out whether here in England or in any other particular place or Countrey it was Sun-setting or Sun-rising noon or mid-night day-light or night when the fifth sixth or seventh day the day of Gods Rest began and yet at the beginning of that seventh day it was either of these somewhere or other Quest But some may say why then did Moses rehearsing every of the six days Works of the Creation set the evening before the morning so if the evening was not before the morning Answ I answer Moses naming the evening in order before the morning in the first of Genesis Gen. 1.5.8 13 19 23 31. doth not thereby make either of them to be in time before the other one he was to name first and the reasons why he named the evening before the morning may be these First For that after the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt and I suppose this History to be written after that their Year their Months and the days of their Week were all changed in respect of their beginnings and endings so that whereas they began their days with the morning thenceforth they constantly began their Week-days with the evening See chap. 3. as I shall shew more at large in the next Chapter If Moses now should have set the morning before the evening he might have seemed to dislike this their new custom of beginning their days of the Week with the evening for which he had direction from the Lord God Secondly Or else it may be for that they who were best skill'd in dividing and distinguishing of time as were Astronomers such as doubtless Moses was who was Learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians Acts 7.22 began the day at noon making the evening that is all the time from noon to midnight to be the former part of the day and the evening that is all the time from mid-night to noon