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
of more or less than seven days the last day whereof is the Lords day Some call this day the standing day of the week for Gods Worship some the Lords day some the Sabbath of the Lord some the seventh day of the week and in this Law it is set out to be the day after our six days of labour Though these appellations do much differ in Letter Sound and Phrase yet they all signifie the same thing it cannot be the seventh day of the week but it will also be the day after our six known days of labour and the standing day of the week for Gods Worship this is the Lords day or the Sabbath of the Lord or to the Lord and this is not only a seventh day of the week as all and every other of the week-days are but it is the seventh day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is not appointed from the Lord by this Law any set time whence men should begin their week or sevening for to find the Lords day so that no People Jew or Gentile are tyed by this Commandment directly to keep their Sabbath precisely on such or such a day or to begin their Sabbath at any set particular time as from midnight or from Sun-rising noon or Sunsetting God separated the tenth of Grapes of Lambs of Corn c. to the use of the Priests and Levites As the seventh day is in this Commandment said to be the Lords and sanctified by the Lord so were those tenths said to be the Lords and Sanctified or Holy to the Lord But it cannot there be meant of the very tenth Lamb that fell in order from the Damm or of the tenth ear of Corn or of the tenth cluster of Grapes first appearing or grown ripe this was too too difficult for to find out but of the tenth in proportion successively according to the customary manner of their Tithing in the places where they lived No more can it be meant here of the seventh day from the first beginning of the Creation which cannot be found out nor from any particular time set by the Lord but the seventh day in proportion successively according as any Nation or People do customarily begin their week in what Longitude of the Earth soever they do inhabit that seventh day by the express words of this Law is the Lords day or Sabbath-day to or for the Lord not of the Lord in that sense which some take it as if it were the very day of Gods Rest but the seventh day unto the Lord that is Sacred or Holy to or for the Lord so do the very words of the Text import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord so also in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereto doth the Chaldee Paraphrase accord Die autem septimo Sabbatum est coram Domino And on the seventh day is the Sabbath before the Lord. Also Jun. and Tremel Dies verò septimus Sabbatum est Jehovae But the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord. The sense then and meaning of these words of this Commandment The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord is this The seventh day of the week or the day following the six days here allowed man for labour is the Lords day or is Sacred to the Lord thy God As we say in Tithing of Corn wheresoever men by agreement do begin the Tithe that nine Cocks or Stacks of Corn are the Farmers but the tenth is the Parsons or is due to the Parson So in sevening out our days at what time soever according to mens custom they begin their week or sevening six days are ours but the seventh day is the Lords it is his due and not our own God hath not bound men by this Law to any set time when to begin their week either at the Sun-setting as the Jews begin their week or at midnight as Christians begin theirs or at any other set time but in every Nation however they begin their week the seventh day thereof is the Lords It is true that the Jews had a set time when they should begin their week or sevening and so had a set and peculiar time or day on which they were to keep their Sabbath but this they were not bound unto by this Law That Saturday was their seventh or Sacred day and that it began at Sun-setting rather than at another time was not by any express out of this Commandment but accidentally that thereby they might be the better taken off from the Assyrians idolatry wherewith they and generally most Nations were deeply infected of which I will speak more particularly in the next Chapter CHAP. IX The Assyrians Idolatry All Nations Worshipped the Sun THE Assyrians Idolatry wherewith Egypt the Israelites and generally other Nations were infected was both the worshiping of Baal and the adoring of the Host of Heaven The one was a man deified and Worshipped the other were the Starrs viz. the Sun Moon and the rest of the Planets (a) The other stars were honoured but as subservient unto those whom they magnified and adored as Gods and Governours of the World Concerning Baal and how he came to be Worshipped we shall thus find in Histories and Antient Chronnologies Nimrod that mighty Hunter before the Lord being a great and strong Giant began to Suppress and Tyrannize over others bringing others in Shinar under him and he ruled as King over them The beginning of his Kingdom was Babel wherefore he was called Saturnus Babylonicus For the most Antient Kings and first founders of a Realm or People they called by the name of Saturn and his eldest Son or Heir by the name of Jupiter and his Daughter were called Juno's (b) Guevar Ep. Thus they call'd his Father Cush Cush Saturnus Ethiops for that Aethiopia was Peopled by him And his Grandfather Cham they call'd Saturnus Aegyptius for that he and his Son Jupiter Mizraim Peopled Egypt Beside Babel this Nimrod had Erech and Acad ond Calneb in the Land of Shinar Gen. 10.9 10 11 12. In Process of time Nimrod left the Kingdom of Babel unto his Son Belus whom they called Jupiter Belus not driven out of his Kingdom by his Son but Nimrod left the same unto him and went into Ashur and there he Tyrannized over the Children of Ashur and there he built Cities also Niniveh and Rohoboth and Calah and Reze◠Ninus succeeded his Father Belus and his Grandfather Nimrod in their Kingdoms and inlarged Niniveh calling it by his own name Niniveh and much inlarged his Dominions and became a Monarch This Ninus so condoled and took such grief for the Death of his Father Belus that for his own comfort and his Fathers Honour he had a goodly Image and representation of his Father made which he had in much Honour Others seeing it pleased Ninus reverenced this Image by degrees more and more and had faults often pardoned for the Image sake insomuch that at
week which will be as good He doth deceive himself herein he may not put off the seventh to another day but should defer his business rather When men take the seventh day which is Sacred to the Lord and imploy the same about their own business either in whole or in part they may as truly be said to Rob the Lord as they under the Law were said so to do in not paying their due Tithes and offerings Mal 3.8 9. Sixthly The Lord was pleased to set out unto us the ground of this Law why he would have a day in a week appointed for his Worship rather than a week in every month or a month in every year And why he would have the seventh day for his Service rather than the tenth the ground hereof the Lord here sheweth to be this In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day The same ground for the Sanctification of the seventh day is also declared before in Gen. 2.3 Seventhly The Lord declareth and he would have his People hereby to know that he hath Annexed a Blessing unto this day God Blessed the seventh day They who wait on the Lord and Serve him sincerely during this their day of attendance shall find the Lord a bountiful rewarder their ceasing from labour for doing him service shall be for their profit they shall be gainers thereby Lastly If there had been none other reason or motive to stir us up unto Obedience in a careful keeping of the seventh day unto the Honour of Good yet this alone which the Lord hath given in the Close of this Commandment should suffice The Lord hath Sanctified it God hath Instituted it But when the Lord hath given us such a special Charge of remembring the Sabbath-day to Sanctifie it and hath so plainly pointed out unto us what the day is which he will have us to Sanctifie that none may plead Ignorance about the time and how many words the Lord used in prohibiting all works and in the enumeration of all degrees prohibited laying down also the equity hereof and his own example together with his Blessing it and his Soveraign Institution hereof how can any without palpable Ignorance or wilful Rebellion plead Ignorance of the Sabbath or knowing it not yield ready Obedience thereto A POSTCRIPT TO THE READER I Pray thee when thou hast read this Tract consider seriously whether the day of rest the Seventh day in this Law commanded to be observed do relate to the six days of Gods Work or to the six days of mans labour It cannot relate to the six days of Gods work and so be the day of Gods Rest unless the day of Gods Rest and the Jews Sabbath day be the same and begin in all places at Sun-setting where-ever the Jews did or ought to observe their Sabbath which cannot possibly be except the Earth be plain as I have shewed Or except the day of Gods rest did at the first and doth begin sooner in some places than in other and so first at one particular place when it was no where else the day of Gods Rest either East or West thereto Both which are so against reason that no understanding man will hold either But if thou findest that the seventh day Commanded doth relate as truly it doth to the six days of labour with men and so must be the day following their six week-days of labour where-ever they live then consider whether Sunday be not as truly the day following the six days of labour with Christians as Saturday was with the Jews and as truly the seventh day with Christians and by the express words of this Law commanded to be kept Holy as the Saturday was with the Jews If so what cause thinkest thou have Jews Antinomians Libertines or any other to Scandalize or say of Christians that they do not nor at any time have observed the true time and day Commanded of God in this Law FINIS
A Brief TRACT ON THE FOURTH Commandment Wherein is Discover'd The CAUSE of all our CONTROVERSIES ABOUT THE Sabbath-DAY And the means of reconciling them More particularly is shewed 1. That the seventh day from the Creation which was the day of Gods Rest was not the seventh day which God in this Law commanded his People to keep Holy neither was it such a kind of day as was the Jews Sabbath-day 2. That the seventh day in this Law commanded to be kept holy is the seventh day of the week viz. the day following the six days of labour with all People 3. That Sunday is with Christians as truly the Sabbath-day as was Saturday with the Jews Recommended by the Reverend Dr. Bates and Mr. John How LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and for Jon. Robinson at the Golden-Lyoâ— in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1692. TO THE READER Courteous Reader I Believe thou art not ignorant of the many dissensions contentions that have been among the People of God about the Sabbath-day Some stood for the old Sabbath so called by some meaning the Jews Sabbath-day Some for a new Sabbath so called by some meaning the day of Christs Resurrection And some for no Sabbath but what Magistrates do appoint No small Controversies have been between all these about the Sabbath-day as I believe thou knowest But the ground and cause of all such their Controversies and how for Peace and Agreement sake it may be removed and taken away I suppose thou dost not know both which I will discover unto thee The ground of such their differences is a misunderstanding of these words of the Commandment Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work By the six days must be meant either the six days of Gods work or the six days of work with men either the six first days at the Creation in which God wrought and made all things or else the six work-days of the week in use with men where they live So also the seventh day must relate to the six days of Gods work or else to the six days of mens labour it must be the seventh day from the beginning of the Creation or the seventh day from mens beginning their six week-days of labour It must either be the day of Gods Rest which immediately followed the six days of his work or the day of rest with men which immediately follows their six days of work where they live They between whom the said dissensions have been and are have and do hold generally that the seventh day must and doth relate to the six days of Gods labour and not of mans It must be they all think the very day of Gods Rest the seventh day from the Creation Thus they all thought that the Jews Sabbath-day which was from Fridays Sun-setting to Saturdays Sun-setting was the precise day of Gods Rest and every of their other six days of the week to be the very same with the six days of the Creation whether they lived in Judea in Babylon in Spain in Ophyr or in any other place it maketh no matter think they Though Sunday with Christians be the day immediately following their six days of labour and on which they having laboured six days do then rest from their labour according unto Gods example Yet at no hand will they yield Sunday to be the seventh day and Sabbath of the Lord Sunday they hold to be the first day of the week and the very same with the first day of the Creation with Christians where-ever they live From this common errour sprouted out various opinions which set them all at Variance 1. The Jews and such as adhere to their superstition do will still plead for the Saturday-Sabbath the Saturday they believe to be the day of Gods Rest the day he Blessed and Sanctified they cannot conceit well of a new Sabbath they know not whence it is Though an Angel should come from Heaven and tell them that Christ the Son of God came into the World and hath taken away their Sabbath and hath established another contrary to what God the Father Instituted So that whereas before they had the seventh day for a day of rest Christ Instituted that seventh day to be a work day That whereas God the Father Blessed and Sanctified the seventh day Christ took off the â—lessing from it and gave it to the first day That whereas God the Father appointed his People to work before they did rest Christ appointed them to rest before they did work That whereas before they were to work and do all that they had to do in six days and rest on the seventh day according to Gods example Now they must rest on the first day and work the six days after which is contrary to Gods example I say if an Angel from Heaven should come and teach them thus they would not believe him 2. Some there be and they not a few Godly Precious and tender-hearted Christians who knowing that the Church of God hath ever since our Saviours Ascension observed the Sunday for their Sabbath and that not against but with the Approbation of the Apostles of Christ do slight the Seventh-day Sabbath and are tooth and nail for the first day of the week so they count Sunday to be neither can they count it otherwise as long as they hold the Jews Sabbath to be the seventh day from the Creation believing that the Apostles of Christ by the appointment of our Saviour changed the old Sabbath so they call the Seventh-day Sabbath to the Sabbath of the first day of the week so that now the Church of God is to rest before they labour and unto not from their labour 3. Some again knowing that the Jews Saturday Sabbath was Ceremonial and abrogated do thence hold and maintain the Seventh day Sabbath to be abrogated also and for that they know not any other Sabbath day appointed by Divine Authority instead thereof do inferr that Christians now in time of the Gospel are to have and keep no Sabbath-day at all Thus kind Reader I have shewed thee the ground and cause of these various and different Opinions about the Sabbath-day Whence have issued most if not all the Controversies which are now on foot between them The only mean to stop all future Controversies and briâ—g all sides to accord in one truth about the Sabbath day is to take away and wipe off from their minds the aforesaid errour which occasioned all their differences For as long as they or any side of them hold that the seventh day which God Blessed and Sanctified and commanded to be observed by all his People doth relate to the six days of Gods work and not of mans that is as long as they hold the seventh day here commanded to be the very day of Gods Rest the
p. 197. speaking of the Pagans in general telleth us that they Worshipped the Sun Now to take off the Israelites from this Idolatry so generally practised by the Nations the Lord used divers means of which this was one that they should not have the day of the Sun for the day of his Worship but the day before that but of this in the next Chapter CHAP. X. The means God used to take the Israelites off from Worshipping the Sun THE Israelites living in Egypt were deeply tainted with the aforesaid Assyrian Idolatries which the Egyptians from them had learnt and set up Doctor Heylin proveth out of Cyril that the Jews Worshipped the Sun and Moon and Host of Heaven as in those times the Egyptians did And to the end they might acknowledge God alone to be the Creator their Sabbath day was set unto them c (a) Heyl. hist part 1.74 75 76. It is very true indeed that Doctor Heylin saith of them touching their Idolatries Insomuch that when the Lord brought them out of Egypt to be a peculiar people to himself God then used many means to draw them off from Worshipping the Sun Moon and the rest of the Planets all called the Host of Heaven whereof the Sun was the chief First God gave them a special charge that thenceforth not any of them should serve the Sun or Moon c. And that if any Man or Woman among them should be known to serve the Sun or Moon or any of the Host of Heaven then the party whether Man or Woman was to be stoned to Death without mercy Deut. 17.2 3 4 5. Secondly God charged them not to speak of those Gods or to have their names come out of any of their mouths Exod. 23.13 They might not call the days of the week by the names of the Planets the day of the Sun the day of the Moon c. as other Nations did and do for the most part but they called them thenceforth the first of the Sabbath the second of the Sabbath c. Insomuch that all the Evangelists in recording the day and time of our Saviours Resurrection say not In the morning of the day of the Sun as other Nations commonly called that time and we now In the Sunday morning but In the morning of the first day of the Sabbath so did they call our Sunday St. Paul also though he wrote to the Church in Corinth yet writing in the behalf of some Jews in Judea that were in want called their weekly meeting day not the day of the Sun as the Gentiles call'd that day but the first day of the Sabbath 1 Cor. 16.2 being the proper name thereof with the Jews It is true that St. John though he was a Jew yet writing not to the Jews but to the Gentiles lately converted (b) Diod. in loc that is to the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 1.4 called our Sunday not by the name of the day of the Sun as the Gentiles called it nor by the name of the first day of the Sabbath as he and the Jews commonly called it but he called it The Lords day John called it not the day of the Sun for he was a Jew nor did he call it the first day of the Sabbath for that he wrote to the Gentiles to whom the name of the Sabbath was odious as was the name of the day of the Sun to the Jews and we find not that Christians who descended of the Gentiles did in many years after this use the name of Sabbath in their Writings nor did the Jews use the name of the day of the Sun in theirs But John called it the Lords day being as truly the Lords day with the Churches of the Gentiles as was the Saturday with the Jews Thirdly the Lord caused them to alter their times which were measured out to them by the course of the Sun as years months weeks and days Whereas their year before began in Tisri when the Sun was in the Autumnal Equinox they must thenceforth begin the same when the Sun is most remote from it that is in Abib Abib now must be their first month and Tisri their seventh which was their first before See chap. 4. Their weeks were then wholly altered the day of the Sun which was the Gentiles seventh Sacred day as I shall shew anon See chap 15. must thenceforth be with them a common or ordinary work-day and the day which they must have for their seventh Sacred day was thenceforth to be that day which the Lord pointed out unto them by Moses that is the day following their six days of gathering Quails and Manna Ex. 16.23.26 when they were ready to perish through want of Food Also to draw the People unto an awful obedience hereto and that they might not think it to be an innovation raised by Moses as the Heathen generally thought it to be (a) Cornel. Tac. Diurn l. 21. Trog Pom. l. 36. the Lord confirmed this new order of their week-days miraculously insomuch as on that seventh pointed out unto them for their Sabbath there was no sign of Manna to be seen and the portion thereof gathered the day before and kept unto their Sabbath-day stank not The miraculous feeding them many years after this manner bred in them a custom of observing the week according to this new assignment The Lord by Moses caused them to alter the beginning of their days of the week too for whereas before they began their days as other Worshippers of the Sun did at the first appearance of the Sun in the Horizon counting the first hour of their day to begin at Sun-rising thenceforth they must begin their day for the service of God when the Sun is furthest off from his rising Sun-rising was the time when the Gentiles began their Worship to the Sun but theirs must begin at Sun-setting Their evening Sacrifice was their prime Sacrifice Psal 141.2 Their Feast of the Passover must be at the setting of the Sun Deut. 16.6 and their Sabbaths must begin with the evening from evening to evening were they to celebrate their Sabbaths Lev. 23.32 that so they may the better remember and acknowledge the Lord God their Creator and Governour that it was he and not the Sun Moon or Host of Heaven that wrought their great deliverance in bringing them out of Egypt Fourthly To bring the Israelites into the greater dislike and detestation of Worshipping the Sun towards the East as the Nations did the Lord would that they should turn their breech or back-parts toward the Sun-rising when they Worshipped him The Idolatrous Nations in those days when they Worshipped the Sun Moon or any of the Host of Heaven bowed towards the East that is towards the Sun-rising in Honour of the Sun but now in contempt of that Idolatry the Jews were to have their faces toward the West or Sunsetting and their breech toward the Sun-rising when they bowed and Worshipped God The Holy place therefore in
the Tabernacle was toward the West as D. Willet proveth (a) Willet Syn. Can. 9. And when the Temple of God was built the house of God was so placed in the inner Court as that they who came thither to pray when they bowed had their Posteriours as it is in the Hebrew towards the Sun-rising and their faces Westward towards the house of God 5. Lastly The day of the Sun must no longer be their seventh Sacred day The having that day Sacred might have nursed them in or have drawn them again to the said Idolatry of Worshipping the Sun but that they might be taken wholly off from it the day of the Sun was to be with them common or prophane and another day the day before the day of the Sun even that which was the seventh from their first gathering Quails and Manna Exod. 6.12 13 23 26. The day which the Antient Saxons called the day of Seater and we from them Saturday was thenceforth to be their seventh-day Sacred Yet all these courses which the most wise God took with them prevailed not they would not be reclaimed from their Idolatry they were resolved to uphold their wicked custom not only the meaner sort but the Kings of Judah the Princes the Priests and wicked Prophets Loved Sought Served Worshipped and Walked after the Sun Moon c. Jer. 8.1 2. Great charges were their Kings at for making Horses and Chariots which they Dedicated to the Sun the which good Josiah afterward in zeal to the Lord of Hosts did burn with fire 2 Kings 23.11 Yet could he not root out this monstrous abomination of VVorshipping the Sun but they strengthned themselves therein insomuch that even in the Temple of God in the place where they should VVorship the Lord of Glory with their faces VVestward towards the house of God they would in a most high contempt Worship the Sun and bow with their breech towards the house of God having their faces towards the Sun-rising Of which contempt the Lord complaineth to his Prophet Ezekiel to whom he shewed their great aboninations and greater yea and greater than those at length he shewed him this which out-passed all the other Turn thee again saith the Lord and thou shalt see greater abominations than these and he brought me into the inner Court of the Lords house and behold at the door of the Temple of the Lord between the Porch and the Altar were about five and twenty men with their Posteriors toward the Temple of the Lord and their faces toward the East and they VVorshipped the Sun towards the East Ezek. 8.15 16. The Women were resolute to Worship the Moon too after the manner of the Heathen We will certainly do said they Jer. 44.17 18. whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouth to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem c. The Heathenish Women against their time of Child-bearing sought and implored the Moon for ease and safety the like custom the Hebrew Women seemed to have had who did knead their Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven Jer. 7.18 Of this I will be sparing of my own but deliver you the very words of that Learned John Gregory as he layeth them down in his Assyrian Monarchy thus The Assyrians VVorshipped the Moon under the name of Mylitta which word Scaliger hath well noted in their Language signifieth Genetricem in which sense it may not unaptly be applyed to the Moon The reason he gives for it is for that If the Moon did nothing help the second causes in Generation yet in the bringing forth it is evident for this is most certain though every Mid-wife hath not observed so much that the most easy delivery a VVoman can have is always in the increase toward and in the full of the Moon and the hardest labours in the new and silent Noon which was the reason that the Mid-wives heretofore he meaneth among the Jews as well as the Heathen did always in such a Case implore the aid of that Planet for the safe and easie delivery of their Infants an example hereof you may have one among many in the Comedy (a) Terent. Andria where the VVoman in the extremity of her Travel cries out to the Moon Juno Lucina fer opem and this amongst others must needs be a reason why the Assyrians VVorshipped the Moon and why they VVorshipped her under that name The Prophet Jeremy maketh mention of this VVorship in the seventh Chapter where he calleth the Moon the Queen of Heaven as our English Translation hath very well rendred The reason which he giveth why the VVomen called upon the Moon at such times I omit here to relate being the same which Physicians commonly do give The Prophet addeth that the VVomen made Cakes to this Queen This Custom of offering Cakes to the Moon our Ancestors may seem not to have been ignorant of to this day our VVomen make Cakes at such times yea the Child it self is no sooner Born but 't is Baptized into the names of these Cakes for so the VVomen call their Babes Cake-Bread So much John Gregory and more Though Israel forsook the Covenant of their God and went a Whoring after the Gods of the Nations chiefly after the Sun yet the Lord was not wanting in affording the many means aforesaid for reclaiming them whereof this was not the least in that he took them off from the memory of the day of the Sun and assigned unto them the Saturday for their Sabbath Concerning which we may truly say that as their Sabbath-day was their seventh day from their first gathering Quails and Manna and as it was to begin at Sun-setting which Moses termed the season that they came out of Egypt Deut. 16.6 so was it Ceremonial a sign and token whereby they were known to be Gods peculiar People Exod. 31.13 and distinguished from all Nations that adored the Sun Unto the observation of which seventh day from their first labouring for Manna were they bound and none but they and they no longer than till the coming of him of whom Moses their Captain said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear Acts 7.37 Even Jesus Christ who is the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 who is greater than Moses who brought us out of a greater bondage than Moses did the Israelites and who gave us not Quails and Manna but his own flesh he gave us the true Bread that came down from Heaven that we might live through him After whose coming as all other shaddows and Ceremonies so this of their Saturday-Sabbath from Sun-setting to Sun-setting did vanish also The day of Saturn was thenceforth no more Holy than the day of the Sun The Jews might as lawfully with their general consent
have kept the Sabbath on Sunday as on the Saturday St. Pauls practice taught Christians then that difference of days was taken away Unto the Jews saith he I became as a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 When he was with the Jews he kept the Saturday-Sabbath as the Jews did Acts 17.2 and 18.4 and 13 14.42 But when he was with the Gentiles that were turned unto Christ and imbraced the Gospel he observed and kept the same seventh Sacred day they did which with them was called the day of the Sun on which day they usually met together 1 Cor. 16.2 Acts 20.7 There arose no small difference between the converted Jews and the converted Gentiles hereabout The Jews esteeming the Saturday to be more Holy than the Sunday condemned the Gentiles for Prophaners of the Sabbath because they observed not the Saturday and for that they kept the day of the Sun the Jews held them to be Worshippers of the Sun as other Gentiles were The Gentiles on the other side upbraided the Jews as superstitious for their observing their set Holy-days whereof their Saturday-Sabbath from evening to evening was one which were abolished This upbraiding and condemning one another in things indifferent St. Paul speaketh against and writeth to the contrary in his Epistle to the Romans Rom. 14.5 and to the Colossians Col. 2.16 The Jews were no more bound thenceforth by the Law of God to keep their Sabbath on the Saturday than on the Sunday The Sabbath-day by the Lord Commanded to them and to all in this Law being not this or that day but the seventh relating to the six days of our labour before-going is the seventh day of the week with all People Now that it may the better appear what the seventh day of the week is and that Sunday is the seventh day of the week with us and generally with all Christians I will shew 1. What some have held to be a week in chap. 11. 2. What a week and what the week is and what the seventh day of the week is in chap. 12. 3. The Antiquity of weeks in chap. 13. 4. What hath been chiefly objected against the Antiquity of weeks in chap. 14. 5. That Sunday was the seventh day Sacred with the Gentiles in chap. 15. 6. Why the Gentiles after their Conversion continued Sunday to be their standing day of the week for Gods Worship though it had been before Idolatrously abused to the Worship of the Sun in chap 16. CHAP. XI The Opinion of some concerning weeks How it 's hatched from the Earths supposed plainness IT hath been the general Opinion not only of the Vulgar but of the Learned also that the seventh day commanded us in this Law hath relation only to the six work-days of the Lord God and not to the six work-days with men as if the meaning of these words of the Commandment Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy VVork but the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord thy God so it is in the Hebrew should be thus The six days in which I wroutgh when I Created all things shall be thy six work-days in them thou shalt do all thy VVork but the seventh day wherein I rested thou shalt rest and do none of thy VVorks on any part of that day but shalt keep that day Holy it is the day of my Rest From hence they will have a week to be none other with any People but seven such days whereof the six former days be the same with the first six days of the Creation and the seventh be the same with the day of Gods Rest Weeks in use with the Jews they held to be such the first six days of their week to be the same with the six days on which God wrought and their seventh day which was from Friday at the setting of the Sun to Saturdays Sun-setting to be the very day of Gods Rest Though Sunday be the day following the six days of labour with us and on which we rest from our labour having wrought six days before yet we do not rest on the seventh day as they say according to Gods example but on the first day from Sunday to Sunday they will not have to be a week but from Saturday to Saturday only And from hence do they who deny the Morality of the seventh-day-Sabbath teach and write that the boundary or seventh day of the week must be the day of Gods Rest and that the day of Gods Rest was the very day which God Blessed and Sanctified and in this Law commanded to be kept holy and that the Jews Sabbath only was the seventh-day Sabbath which in this Law is commanded to be observed Holy and that the Jews Sabbath-day being Ceremonial and abolished by the coming of the Messias the seventh-day-Sabbath in this Law expresly commanded to be Sanctified is abolished also and not to be observed by Christians and that sith no other set day is instituted in stead thereof by any Divine Authority it resteth in the bosom of the Church or Magistrates to appoint what day they please for Gods publick Worship Though all and every of these be very false yet are they all by these men held to be even as true as their Creed they little considering from how unsound and rotten a root these and every of them have had their first spring and that is from a supposal that the Earth is plain and not round It is an odd but an Old conceit of some Philosophers which afterward was held and maintained by the Antient Fathers that the Earth was not roâ—nd but plain as a Champaign-field They thought there could be no dwellers under the earth which go foot to foot against us and that if there should be any Antipodes imagined yet them not to be Adams Posterity whom they held to have all dwelt upon the Earth and to have been all drowned except eight persons when Noahs flood covered all the face of the Earth So strong did this Opinion prevail with the said Fathers as that whoever held the contrary was counted near as bad as an Heretick Witness Vigilius whom some call Virgilius who was complained of by Boniface unto Zachary then Pope and was degraded for holding that there were Antipodes and that they had a Sun and Moon to shine unto them as well as to us This story may be seen in Aventine (a) Aven Annal Bar. l. 3. and in Baronius who sought to cover the fact with fig-leaves Now that the Adversaries to the Morality of this Law held all those tenents before-said and that they all sprang from this errour of the Earths supposed plain superficies I will next shew For the clearing whereof I need not cite many of them one may serve for all being approved by them all Neither will I tell here all that he Writes hereabout but that which chiefly concerns the point in hand Mr. Ironside a Reverend Divine and of singular gifts and Parts but overswayed by the stream of late times
doth in his book called the Seven Questions of the Sabbath Dedicated to the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury VVilliam Laud tell us First That it is necessary not only for the Learned but also for the weak and inferiour sort of People to know to a minute when the Lords-day or Sabbath doth begin and when it doth end and that for two special reasons The one is for the Peace and quiet of their Consciences which else would be wounded and disquieted The other is for that unless the very day and the whole day be kept to a minute all the duties done on that day are lost His words words are these It is necessary to inquire of the dimensions of this day of what duration and continuance of time it must be (b) Irens 7. Quest pag. 2. Amongst those things which disquiet and perplex the Consciences of the weak concerning the Lords day this is not the least where it is to begin and how long it lasteth For God requiring of us perfect and intire obedience without diminution or defalcation unless every minute of time which the Lord requireth of us as his tribute and homage be duly tendred to him our whole labour bestowed upon the parts and pieces of the day is not regarded (a) Pag. 126. It is also that which concerns the most sort of our inferiour People to be satisfied in lest the Commandment requiring one thing their imployments another they many times wound their Consciences and rob themselves of that Peace which otherwise they might enjoy (b) Pag. 127. 2ly That God might have his due tribute and the weak if they will may keep their Consciences quiet in observing the true and full time of the Sabbath he setteth down the precise day of the Sabbath as he conceiveth and the exact time to a minute when the Sabbath-day is to begin As for the day he tells us that the Sabbath-day must be precisely the day of Gods Rest Thus Assoon as God had ended his VVork he ordained and appointed that the seventh day the day of his own Rest else he will not conceive that it can be the seventh day should be that on which the Church should rest (c) Page 21. Unless we rest that very seventh day in which God Rested we no more resemble his Rest than a man that hath a Ladder resembles Jacob that had a Vision of a Ladder (d) Page 90. As for the exact time when the Sabbath is to begin and end he tells us that the very minute in which the Sun is in the Horizon at his rising is the true beginning of the day and he proveth that it must so be for that when the fourth day at the Creation began the Sun was then in the Horizon at his rising so that any of the inferior sort of People he before spake of may by looking in his Almanack tell to a minute if Mr. Ironsides rule fail him not at any time throughout all the year and in any place throughout the World when the fourth day of the Creation and the very day of Gods Rest and so consequently when the Sabbath beginneth These are his words If the natural day be measured by the Revolution of the Sun as all confess sure it is that untill the Sun begin his course the day cannot begin At what time now did the Sun set forth upon the fourth day at the Creation Common reason will say when he first appeared in the Horizon The rising therefore of the Sun in the Horizon must needs be the first Period of the Natural day (e) Irons 7. Quest page 12. 3. 3ly He tells us that the Jews Sabbath-day was the day of Gods Rest and the same with that which God blessed and sanctified making no difference between all these three His words are these That particular Sabbath-day given unto the Jews even the day of Gods Rest is not a Sabbath but the Sabbath even that which God sanctifyed The Sabbath must be the same with the seventh or else there is no tolerable sense or congruity in that Law (f) Page 70. Whereas he saith the same with the seventh he meaneth by the seventh the seventh day from the Creation even the very day of Gods Rest which he proved to begin at the rising of the Sun like as the fourth day did Now whereas some may and that not without just cause doubt how the day of Gods Rest which began at Sunrising as he saith and the Jews Sabbath which ever began at the setting of the Sun wheresoever they dwelt could be one and the same day Sith that they as well in respect of their beginnings as also in respect of their endings are Heavenly wide the one from the other even as far as the Sun-rising is distant from Sun-setting between both which there must be half a days difference And so the day of Gods Rest must begin either at Sun-rising before the Jews Sabbath day began or at the Sun-rising after If at the Sun-rising before that is on the Friday morning then the Turks Sabbath so Doctor Heylin (a) Heyl. part 1. page 48. calleth it may more truly be called the day of Gods Rest than that of the Jews But if at the Sun-rising after then our Christian Sabbath-day ever began on the day of Gods Rest the which the Jews Sabbath never did For the wiping off this and all such doubts Mr. Ironside tells us both at what time and also by what means the day of Gods Rest and the Jews Sabbath was made to be one and the same day which were always two before His words are VVhen God Commanded the Jews their Sabbaths from evening ot evening the order of the Natural day was inverted by him not so much looking to the number of four and twenty hours as to the time of Israels deliverance out of Egypt which began when the Passover was eaten at Even (b) Iron p. 138. c. His meaning in these his Words may be conceived to be this When God Commanded the Jews after their coming out of Egypt to keep their Sabbath on the Saturday and to begin the same at the Sun-setting of the day before-going that is on Friday at the setting of the Sun God miraculously at an instant turned the East into the West and so the place of Sun-rising came unto the place of Sun-setting so close as they kissed each other as he saith the end of one contiguum is the beginning of the other (c) Iron p. 138. If such should not be his meaning it is not to be conceived how he should make Sun-rising and Sun-setting or the day of Gods Rest which he saith began at Sun-rising and the Jews Sabbath which began at Sun-setting to be one and the same Fourthly and lastly He tells us that the observation of the Sabbath is abrogated this error is strong with him because the Jews Sabbath-day is abrogated he thinking no difference to be made between the Jews Sabbath-day and
the Sabbath day here in this Law Commanded to be kept Holy whereas they differ as doth the species from its Genus And from hence he inferreth that it wholly resteth in the power of the Church and Magistrates to appoint the time for Gods publick Worship His words are these The observation of that Sabbath which is pretended to have been Commanded Adam in Paradise is abrogated by Christ as he is the Messias even that day on which God Rested and which he Sanctified (a) Iron pa. 12. The Letter of the Law of Moses being wholly Ceremonial it must be that the determinate time of Cessation from VVorks together with the manner in regard of the strictness thereof is wholly left to the power and wisdom of the Church and Magistrate (b) pag. 225. Now if any reasonable man will weigh these tenets of Mr. Ironside he may plainly perceive that they and every of them do flow from the supposal of the Earths plainness If this be true so must the other and if false then so must all and every of the other be false also they all either stand or fall together and so will their contraries also issuing from the Earths roundness For Let it be granted that the Earth is plain all these following will be true and not otherwise 1. There is but one Horizon to all Nations and places 2. The Sun was in the Horizon at his rising when on the fourth day of the Creation he first appeared and began his course for that day 3 The rising of the Sun in the Horizon was the first period of the fourth day and of the seventh day the day of Gods Rest 4. Men who can tell exactly when it is Sun-rising with them may tell to a minute when the day of Gods Rest doth begin with them in any place 5. Every week-day is the same day in all places all having the same Sun-rising 6. The seventh day even the day of Gods Rest is the seventh day of the week with all People as well in Dublin Salisbury Jerusalem Virginia Japan as in all other places all having the same Horizon Though the day of the coming of the Son of Man in Glory be unknown and likewise the hour whether at midnight or at the Cock-crowing or at the day-dawning yet if it shall be on the Saturday with some it shall be on the Saturday with all and if it be at midnight with some it shall be at mid-night with all or if at the Cock-crowing or at the day-dawning with some then so shall it be with all 7. As the seventh day from the Creation even the day of Gods Rest is the Saturday that is the seventh day of the week with all People so be all the six days of the Creation the same with the six days of the week with all People 8. The seventh day which God blessed and sanctified and commanded in this Law to be kept Holy was the very day of Gods Rest which after God had inverted the day turning morning into evening came to be the same day with the Jews Sabbath where ever they dwelt and began at Sun-setting in all places wherever the Jews abode as in Arabia Jerusalem Babylon Room Spain Ophyr and in all other places where the Jews had never any abiding place for all places having one and the same Horizon must have their day to be one and the same and to begin at one and the same time 9. The Jews had not rested on the seventh day according to Gods example had they not rested on that very seventh day on which God Rested 10. The Jews Sabbath day being the day of Gods Rest and the day which God appointed by this Law to be kept Holy is wholly abolished and abrogated by the coming of the Messias and no other day is commanded by the Lord instead thereof therefore it now resteth in the power of the Church and Magistrates to appoint what day they please for Gods publick Worship If the Earth be plain all and every one of the ten before-going are true but if round they must be all false Let it be granted that the Earth is round all these following will be true and not otherwise 1. Every Nation and place have a several Horizon differing from other 2. The Sun when he first appeared was directly over some part of the Earth or other and shone most gloriously on half the Earth making it to be noon then in the place under him and in all places of the same Meridian The Sun cannot properly be said to be then in the Horizon unless it be meant to some particular place or other as in the Horizon to London c. 3. The first period of the fourth day and so of the day of Gods Rest was noon in some places and one two three c. of the Clock in the afternoon in some and eight nine ten c. of the Clock in the forenoon in some other places 4. The wisest man on Earth cannot tell either at York or at Rome or at any other place the just time when the day of Gods rest did or doth begin within eleven hours of our day 5. As People are distant in place so have they different Horizons and as their Horizons differ so do their week-days from being the very same 6. The day of Gods Rest which is the seventh day from the Creation is the same Universal day with all People but it cannot be the same day of the week with all People If the day of Gods Rest be Saturday with some it must needs be Friday or Sunday with some other People So likewise the time of Christs coming to Judge the World if it be on the Saturday with some it will not be on the Saturday with all but on the Sunday or Friday with some others also if it be at mid-night with some it shall be at Cock-crowing with other some and at day dawning with some others but it will not be at midnight with all nor at Cock-crowing nor at day-dawning with all 7. As the day of Gods Rest cannot be the Saturday nor the seventh day of the week with all People so cannot the six days of the Creation be the same with the six days of the week with all People 8. The seventh day which God Blessed and Sanctified and Commanded in this Law to be kept holy was not the day of Gods Rest For this cannot any where be known when it beginneth or endeth and if it should be known yet all Gods People in all places could not keep the same though they had never fallen by Adam And whether there was or was not an inversion of the day made as aforesaid yet the day of Gods Rest could not be the same day with the Jews Sabbath for this they did or might keep from Sun-setting to Sun-setting in Arabia Jerusalem Babylon Rome Spain Ophyr and in all other places of their abode but the day of Gods Rest they did not nor possibly could
the Saturday and the third Sanctifieth the Sunday a he would not call Sunday our Sabbath (c) Heyl. part 1. page 48. as he doth Friday the Turks Sabbath Then that upon the Saturday the Turk begins his journey VVestward and the Christian Eastward so as both of them compassing the VVorld do meet again in the same place the Jew continuing where they left him It will fall out that the Turk by going VVestward having lost a day and the Christian going Eastward having got a day one and the self same day will be a Friday to the Turk a Saturday to the Jew and a Sunday to the Christian Sith then one and the same day came to be a Friday a Saturday and a Sunday unto these three by their Travel there must be three several Planets to govern the first hour of that day or else the Planets must by little and little have gotten and lost a whole course of governing as the Travellers did by little and little gain and lose a whole day by their Travel both which will shew this hourly rule of the Planets to be both vain and feigned Touching the latter that week-days had not their names from the supposed hourly rule of the Planets may from these reasons be gathered First This hourly rule doth flow from the names of the week-days and not the week-day names from it Men must first know by what Planets name the day is called before they can tell what Planet must govern the first hour thereof For suppose the two Travellers before-said the Christian and the Turk had met at any place before they had ended their journey it must be as Dr. Heylin hath demonstrated the like a Sunday then with the Turk (c) Heyl par 1. p. 46 47 48. when it was but Saturday with the Christian then at their meeting Now let the most skilful of Astrologer be demanded what day it should be unto them both either Saturday or Sunday whether the Sun or Saturn ruled the first hour thereof He will answer as the Chaldees did Nebuchadnezzar There is not a man upon the earth that can shew this matter Dan. 2.10 Yea though the place where those Travellers met were made known also yet would the question remain unresolvable unless there be some line or other supposed where the Planets should begin their Government and from whence the Calculation is to be made But in that supposal there is no certainty Now if the said Travellers agree together to have that day of their meeting to be Sunday then any Astrologer will readily tell them that the Sun was he that ruled the first hour thereof or if they make it Saturday then Saturn was he First therefore the week-days must be known before men can know the said planetary Rule and Government I would not have any conceive that by the Planetary Rule and Government I should mean here that Government and Lordship which the Planets are of old said to have in their own Home and Houses it is the hourly Rule of the Planets mentioned in the beginning of this Chapter that I mean I confess my self to be but little skill'd in the one but this he that hath but the use of a pair of Globes may demonstrate to be false and to have no truth in it 2. The Germans had weeks and called the week-days by the names of their Gods whom they adored which were the seven Planets and this long before they came to have any knowledge of this hourly Rule of the Planets which Henricus Hassianus got in Paris and then after taught the same in Vienna and that not yet four hundred years since The Doctor saith That the Grecians had not weeks till Eudoxus had taught them this excellency in Astrology which he brought from Egypt a little before he might with as much truth have said that the Germans had not weeks till Henricus Hassianus had taught this knowledge in Astrology which he brought from Paris a little before There is the same reason in them both but this is known to be far from truth If any say that the Germans had learnt to have weeks and to call the days of the week by the names of the Planets since the said hourly Rule was found out and that either from the Romans or Grecians or from some other Nation with whom they lived before they came to inhabit in Germany as the French the English the Dutch and other People in America have weeeks and call the week-days by the same names those Nations did with whom their Ancestors lived before they came into America My answer is they are much mistaken for Germany was a very Antient Kingdom as Theodore Bibliander and Verstegan also do acquaint us Twisco who before he died was a King and the first King of the Germans was born long before there was a Monarchy of the Romans Grecians or Persians either He was antienter than Abrahams father Bibliander thus writeth of him Tuisco quem aliqui putant c. Tuisco whom some think to be Aschenaz the Nephew of Noah erected the Kingdom of Sarmatia and from whom the Dutch-men are called Teutshen Tacitus holdeth him to be the Son of Terra or Arezia Noahs wife (a) Theod Bibl. Mannus who was Twisco his Son and the second King of the Germans was born not twenty years after Abraham and Wigwoner their third King was born before Abraham went out of Ur a Town of the Chaldees and therefore according to Bibliander before the Egyptians had learnt Astrology For it seems the Egyptians as well as other Nations severing themselves from Noahs Posterity remaining about Chaldea Assyria and other parts of Shinar busied themselves so about their new Plantation in Egypt that they neglected and forgot Astrology till Abraham came out of Chaldea and went down into Egypt where as Josephus saith he taught Astronomy unto them being ignorant thereof before (b) Joseph Antiq Jud. l. 1. c. 15 16. See chap. 9. The Germans were a Nation and a Kingdom before Eudoxus knew what a Planet was Verstegan also tells us that the Saxons had in Antient times the seven Planets for their Gods whom they called Son Mone Tuisco c. and also called the days of the week by the names of those their Gods before ever they had any Commerce with the Grecians or Romans either 3. Week-days bear the names of the Planets not from the said late invented hourly Rule supposed to be given them by God when he Created them but as they were the Heathens Gods and were orderly Worshipped and Adored by them Thus the day we call Sunday was by the Heathen anciently called the day of the Sun because of all the Planets who were held to be the Lords and Governours of the World he was that Lord and Governour which had special Worship done unto him on that day and for that his Worship began with that days beginning even at the Sun-rising for at that time did the Heathen begin their
till of late our Tables have testified obedience to that decree being usually furnished with more variety of Dishes on the Sundays and Thursdays than on any day of the week besides If any one here say that these days were not Sacred but Fasting days because Binius call them jejunia I would have him informed that Sacred days were with the Heathen called Fasts because they abstained from feeding themselves till their Services were ended the like did the Jews yea and Christians too in old time Trogus Writing the Customs of the Jews when he would tell us that Moses ordained the Saturday being the seventh day with the Jews to be a Sacred day perpetually he thus expresseth the same Septimum diem more Gentis Sabbatum appellatum in omne aevum jejunio sacravit Moses (a) Trog li. 36. Dr. Heylin sheweth plentifully that the Heathen Poets and others called Sacred days Fasting days (b) Heyl. part 1. page 102. But to put us out of doubt that the Thursday and Sunday were not only fasting days but Sacred also with the Heathen Platina resolveth the case who on the Life of the said Pope sets down his Decree thus Miltiadis institutum fuit né Dominico neve feriâ quintâ jejunaretur quia hos dies Pagani quasi sacros celebrant Whereby it appears that Sunday was a Sacred day not of the month but of the week with the Heathen 6. Lastly The Testimonies of divers Learned Writers shew that the day of the Sun with the Gentiles was a week-day even the same which we call the Lords day Sozomen telleth us that Constantine commanded Dominicum diem quem Ebraei primum Sabbati appellant Graeci Soli deputant c. à cunctis celebrari (c) Soz. Eccl. hist li. 1. cap. 8. Constantine then held that the day which the Heathen then Greeks deputed to the Sun was the very same which we call the Lords day Justin Martyr in several passages called the Lords day no otherwise than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as then the Gentiles or Greeks called it saith Dr. Heylin (d) Heyl. part 2. page 62. and we call it now Bonaventure acquaints us how Christians spoiled the day of the Sun of its Idolatrous Worship and so kept it in honour of Christ Secundum Gentiles dies Dominicus primus est cum principio illius diei incipit dominari principalis planeta Sol propter quod vocabant eundem diem Solis exhibebant ei venerationem Ut ergo error ille excluderetur reverentia cultûs Solis Deo exhiberetur praefixa fuit Dominica dies quâ populus Christianus vacaret cultui Divino (a) Borav in 3. Distin 37. Cael. Rhodigin lect Antiq. li. 13. cap. 22. thus sheweth Nos jure optimo diem quem Mathematici Solis vocant Domino ascripsimus dicavimúsque illius cultui totum mancipavimus It seemeth by these that Christians at first devested the Sun of the Worship given him on the day of the Sun and gave the whole right of Worship on that day unto the Lord God They served the day of the Sun as the men of Israel were to serve their Captive Maidens the things that grew excrementitiously on them as hair and nails were to be shaven and cut Deut. 21.12 and so cast away c. and then the men lawfully might keep and use them So Christians of the first Age after Christs Ascension pared off and cast away what did excrementitiously if I may so say grow on the day of the Sun as the Adoration and Superstitious Services given to it on that day and then they lawfully might and did make use of the same and it became their standing service-day unto Gods honour Divers other Testimonies of sundry Authors may be given to prove the day of the Sun with the Gentiles to be not their seventh day of the month but the seventh day of the week all which I here omit only I referr the Reader for his further satisfaction to Doctor Heylins History of the Sabbath (b) Heyl par 2. pag. 53 61 62 63. wherein he sheweth that not only the days of the Moon of Mars of Mercury c. with the Gentiles were the same which we call Munday Tuesday Wednesday c. But also that the day of the Sun is the same which we call Sunday proving the same out of Tertullian Justin Martyr Saint Augustine and others Quest But here it may be demanded that sith the Sunday was the day Sacred with the Heathen Dedicated to the Sun and to the dishonour of God so much abused by their Heathenish Superstition and Idolatry Whether Christians in the Apostles time or afterward should not have done well to have chosen Friday or Saturday or some other day for their standing day of the week for Gods service rather then the Sunday Answer To alter or change the Sabbath from the seventh day and to make it the eighth ninth sixth or any other than the seventh which is the last day of the week is against the express Law of God as before hath hath been shewed though it be no where forbidden to alter the whole week by beginning the same sooner or later Secondly They lawfully might and did alter and change both the name and also the Worship or service done on that day for they called it no longer Sunday unless in their common talk with the Heathen but they called it the Lords day being the day which the Lord in this Law commanded to be Sanctifyed Neither did they adore and Worship the Sun any more on that day but the Lord their Creator and Redeemer Thirdly It is true that all the week-days were abused to the Idolatrous Worship of the Planets though not in the like degree as was the Sunday And that one day in it self was no more holy than another Yet Christians should not have done well in changing or in their endeavouring to have changed their standing service day from Sunday to any other day of the week and that for these reasons 1. Because of the contempt scorn and derision they thereby should be had in among all the Gentiles with whom they lived and toward whom they ought by St. Pauls rule to live inoffensively 1 Cor. 10.32 in things indifferent If the Gentiles thought hardly and spake evil of them for that they ran not into the same excess of riot with them 1. Pe◠4.4 what would they have said of Christians for such an Innovation as would have been made by their change of their standing service-day If long before this the Jews were had in such disdain among the Gentiles for their Saturday-Sabbath which the Gentiles held to be a singularity and innovation brought in by Moses insomuch that Jeremy lamenteth the same Lam. 1.7 How grievous would be their Taunts and reproaches against the poor Christians living with them and under their power for their new set Sacred day had the Christians chosen any other than the Sunday Had Sr. Francis Drake
is not a part of a day as is the Artificial day but an whole day And that it is not such a kind of day as are the days of the Creation mentioned in the first of Genesis but such a kind of day as is or hath been in use with men And also that it is not in tale the fifth sixth eighth or ninth day but the seventh not the seventh day of the month but the seventh day of the week the day following the six known days of labour where men dwell and inhabit Which day with Christians is vulgarly called Sunday otherwise more fitly and as indeed it is The Lords day even our Sabbath-day to the Lord. Now in the next place is to be shewed how the Lords day is to be Sanctified To the sanctification of the Sabbath-day of the Lord which we call the Lords day two things are required 1. That we keep it a day of rest 2. That we Sanctifie that time of rest That we are to keep it a day of rest the Scripture fully sheweth On the seventh day thou shalt rest in Earing time and in Harvest Exod. 34.21 The like have we in divers other places of Scripture calling it a day of rest All men are to cease from the works of their calling which on other days they lawfully may yea and ought to do for the maintenance of themselves and theirs Six days shall work be done but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest ye shall do no work therein Lev. 23.3 So are the words here in this Law Thou shalt not do any work But whereas we are here forbidden to do any work we must not so understand the words as if on the Sabbath-day we should rest from all kind and manner of works and so do no work at all upon that day the words of the Text do not bear such a sense These are the words of the Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt do all thy Trade Art or Occupation and such are the words of the Text in divers other places of Scripture Deut. 5.14 Exod. 35.2 and 31.15 Lev. 23.3 7. Val. Schindler in his Pentaglot on the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 telleth us thus The Rabbins take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Art or Vocation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural for Arts and Vocations So Arias Montanus also correcteth Pagnines Translation of the Bible that whereas Pagnine hath it Non facies omne opus he turneth it Non facies omnem functionem Deut. 5.14 where Pagnine Translateth thus Omnis qui fecerit in eo opus c. Montanus hath it Omnis faciens in eo functionem Exod. 35.2 Where Pagnine saith Omnis faciens opus in die Sabbati it is thus to be read according to Montanus Omnis faciens opificium in the die cessationis c. Exod. 31.15 The like may be seen in divers other places of Scripture so Translated by the one and so Corrected by the other Whence we may gather that the true meaning of these words commonly read in our Translations Thou shalt not do any work is not that we should do no manner of work at all but that we should do on the Sabbath-day no manner of the works of our Trade Function and Occupation The Smith is not to work at his Anvil nor the Shoomaker with his Awl nor any other about any works that belong to mens Trade and Profession which on the six days of labour they may and should do for getting their maintenance and livelyhood There be some other works which on every day may lawfully be done even on the Sabbath-day it self without the least breach of this Law and they are of three sorts 1. Works of Piety 2. Works of Government towards the Creature subjected to us 3. Works needful to the preservation of mans life These works may be done one every day without any violation of the Law of the Sabbath Neither doth the Law of the Sabbath abridge us from doing them on any day What God ordained before ever the seventh day was in being was not and is not nulled or abridged by the Law of the Sabbath but these works were before ordained by the Lord. First Man was made and had his being to serve God to Honour and Worship him to perform duties of Piety in such manner as he should appoint him The doing of these duties on the Sabbath-day doth no Violation to the Law of the Sabbath Men doing them may be said to break or profane the Sabbath yet not break the Law of the Sabbâ—th When we have been diligent on the Sabbath-day in doing service unto God and the duties he requireth of us for his Honour we may therein be said not to make the day a day of rest but to break the rest or Sabbath yet not to break the Commandment by doing these works Thus Christ told the Pharisees that the Priests in the Temple did profane the Sabbath and are blameless Mat. 12.5 Sure they could not be said to be blameless had they by their Sacrificing Bullocks or Sheep broken the Commandment they brake the Sabbath they made it not a day of rest from these works and so were said to profane it that is in respect of these labours they made it common with other days all days being alike Lawful or common for doing works of Piety Secondly Works of Government of the Creatures subjected unto man were ordained of the Lord before man was made Let us make man saith God in our Image after our likeness and let them have dominion over c. Gen. 1.26 28. and when God had made man he commanded them to have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea over the Foul over Cattle and over every living thing upon the Earth This Law and Ordinance was not repealed or nulled by any succeeding Law Man is to exercise this his Rule and Government committed unto him on any day If fire should threaten to destroy a house or houses Corn or such like on the Sabbath-day man is as well bound to use his power in suppressing the same on the Sabbath-day as on any other If Water indanger drowning of Cattle or if Cattle strive together whereby some are like to perish and man do not succour and seek to preserve what was in danger because it was on the Sabbath day he sheweth himself to be a bad Governour of the Creature or if he should suffer Sheep or other Cattle to perish for want of Foddering Folding or Housing them as need requireth he is not worthy to have the Government of Cattle The like I say concerning works needful for the preservation of mans life When Adam was in the state of Innocency before ever the seventh day was even on the day of his Creation the Lord ordained him food Behold I have given you said God every herb bearing seed some whereof were Physical which is upon the face of all the Earth and every Tree in which is the fruit of a Tree yielding
seed to you it shall be for meat Gen. 1.29 It was Gods will and Ordinance that man being made a living soul should use the means for the preservation of his life And this his Ordinance was never repealed by any succeeding Law All these three kind of works may be done on the Sabbath-day as well as on other days always provided that there be no irregularity in performing them We must have regard to necessity requiring present help when this giveth way the duties more excellent are more especially to be regarded And as these works may be done on the Lords day so may the necessary helps thereunto be then done also A man may on the Sabbath-day Travel on foot to the meeting place and assembly of Gods People and if he cannot well go on foot he may ride Also as men may feed fold or house their Cattle on the Lords day so may they use the necessary helps thereunto which could not be done the day before And so also may they not only eat drink sleep and take Physick according as need requireth but also may use needful helps thereunto as heating their meat and such like for all stomacks cannot feed on cold meat But let all take heed lest under a pretence of necessity he robs God of his due Honour and his Conscience of true Peace Object But here some will object that this Commandment tyed the Jâ—ws from kindling any fire on their Sabbath-day If then we are bound to keep this Law as strictly as the Jews were we ought not to kindle fire at all upon the Sabbath-day for any occasion whatsoever though for saving ones life Answer To which I answer that this precept in Exodus the five and thirtieth Chapter and third Verse forbade the Jews not from making any fire at all whether it be a help towards the duties of piety or mens health and safety But from making fire whereby it should be a help towards their Trades Occupations or Functions which are expresly forbidden to be done in this Commandment on the Sabbath day And that this is the meaning may appear for that First This precept hath an eye and reflecteth on the words immediately going before in the former Verse in which is a rehearsal of the summ of this fourth Commandment In these words according to the Hebrew Text (a) Arias Monta. Six days shall Function Occupation or Trade be done and in the seventh there shall be to you holiness a rest of cessation to the Lord every one doing his Function in that day shall die Then immediately followeth There shall no fire be kindled in all your habitations in the day of cessation The works about mens personal callings and functions for getting wealth being forbidden in the former Verse in this is forbidden the means tending thereto as the kindling of fire And haply kindling fire is here mentioned rather than any other means for that they being all Brick-makers in Egypt before they kindled fire throughout their Habitations for the burning their tale of Bricks But when works are lawful and needful to be done on the Sabbath-day such as are works of piety and works of preserving the Life of Man the necessary helps thereunto as making fire is lawful also Secondly The continued and never blamed practice of the Jews of making fire on the Sabbath-day for these duties proveth the same They were never at any time blamed for making fire on the Sabbath for these duties as far as we can read in Sacred Scripture The man that was put to death for gathering wood whether to faggot it or to add it to his Pile or Heap is not expressed on the Sabbath day Num. 15.32 doth make nothing hereto And that they did make fire on the Sabbath-days for these duties is undeniable How else should the meat-offerings baken in Ovens and in Pans and in Frying-pans be made which they were to bring to the Priests as oblations Levit. 2.4 5 7. How else could the Shew-bread be Baked which were constantly provided and set on the pure Table of the Lord every Sabbath-day Levit. 24.5 6 c. And how else should the Paschal Lamb be Roasted when the Feast of the Passover fell on the Sabbath-day Every family was then to eat Roast-meat throughout their Habitations and the remains to burnt in the fire that nothing be left until the morning Exod. 12.10 Sure these things could not be done without making fire In like manner did they make fire on the Sabbath for preservation of their life and health For doubtless the Israelites baken and sod their Manna on their Sabbath-days as they did on the other days of the week Cold Manna and unpound would not agree with many mens stomacks on the Sabbath who on every of the other days did eat it hot either Baked or Sodder On every of the other six days they gathered every man according to his eating an Omer for every man Exod. 16.16 18. And then ground it or beat it in a Mortar and baked it in Pans and made Cakes of it Numb 11.8 And in that week which was set for the measuring out to them their first Saturday-Sabbath which was their seventh day from their first beginning of gathering Quails and Manna Moses on the sixth day that is on the day before their new Sabbath appointed said unto them This is that which the Lord hath said To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord Bake that which you will Bake to day and seethe that you will seethe and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning Exod. 16.23 24. On this sixth day they gathered double to what they did before whereof Moses told them that the one part they should Bake or Seethe at their pleasure but the remainder that is the other part they were not willed either to Bake or to Seethe on that day but to lay it up for the next day the which they did and although it was neither Baked nor Sodden yet it stank not neither did worms appear therein Now if the Israelites might not pound the said Manna laid up for their Food nor Bake nor Boyl the same and so eâ—t it hot as on other days the Sabbath-day which should be a delight unto them would breed them sorrow and be burthensome unto them and doubtless than we should read of their complaints hereof We read how they complained for want of change and wept when they remembred the Flesh Cucumbers Melons Leeks Onions and Garlick which they had in Egypt But now said they our soul is dried away there is nothing beside this Manna c. Numb 11.6 How would they have complained if on the Sabbath-days they should have been driven to have eaten the Manna not Pound nor Baked nor Sod Their silence herein argueth them not to have been driven to such a strait but that they did either Bake or Boyl their Manna and so eat it hot as they did on the other days
the which could not be done without their making a fire Or otherwise if by this precept the Jews were not to make any fire at all on their Sabbath-day neither for the furtherance of their Services and duties towards God nor for the preservation of the health and life of man then I say that that precept was particularly given to the Jews and peculiarly concerned that Nation and no other Common-Wealth whatsoever And that this Commandment bound them not thereto no more than it bindeth us or any other People whatsoever This Law bound and doth bind all men to make the seventh day with them a day of rest not only from works of slavery commonly called servile works from which the Jews were bound on their Feast of the Passover Lev. 23.7 Num. 28.18 and on certain other of their Feast-days Lev. 23.8 21 25 35 36. Num. 28.25 26. But also from all the works of mens Trade Occupation or Function whatsoever Yea our thoughts and minds are not to be upon them on the Lords day as the one are called our works Exod. 23.12 so the other are called our thoughts This Law bindeth all that they should not only make the seventh day to be a day of rest and cessation from all the works of our callings but also that we Sanctifie that rest Remember saith God that thou Sanctifie the Sabbath-day that is in English the day of cessation or rest for that is the Sabbath of the Lord. We may well call it the Lords day or the Lords Sabbath for that it is a day holy to the Lord we are not only to cease from the works of our Professions and Callings on that day but are then to perform also and do duties and works of Holiness unto the Lord. On the seventh day is a cessation to rest a Convocation of holiness Lev. 23.3 Or as it is in our Translation The seventh day is the Sabbath of rest and Holy Convocation And in Exodus In the seventh day is the rest of cessation Holiness to the Lord Exod. 31.15 And a little after that In the seventh day shall be to you Holiness a rest of cessation unto the Lord Exod. 35.2 All which do shew that on the Sabbath-day which is the day following our six days of labour we should not only rest from all our Functions and works of our Professions for getting of worldly Wealth and Maintenance but we are to keep this rest cessation or Sabbath holy to the Glory and Honour of the most great God our Creator and Redeemer Quest If any ask here whether it be lawful for an Apothecary to let Blood in case of great need or for a Physician to minister Physick to his sick Patient on the Sabbath-day Answ Doubtless it is lawful and not only so but either of them may go or ride for that purpose it being of the duties before spoken of for the preservation of the life and health of Mankind which are not forbidden by this Law provided neither of them do the same for his fee reward and gain for then he maketh it a work of his Profession for gaining of Worldly Wealth and maintenance which may be done on other days but not on the Sabbath without making himself a Transgressor And now I conclude this point with the express words of the Homily for the time of Prayer Thus it may plainly appear that Gods Will and Commandment was to have a solemn time and standing day in the week wherein the People should come together and have in remembrance his wonderful benefits and to render him thanks for them as appertaineth to loving kind and Obedient People And with that a little before And therefore by this Commandment we ought to have a time as one day in the week wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawful and needful works for like as it appeareth by the Commandment that no man in six days ought to be slothful or idle but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Even so God hath given express charge to all men that upon the Sabbath-day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekly and work-day labour to the intent that like as God himself wrought six days and rested the seventh and Blessed and Sanctified it and Consecrated it to quietness and rest from labour even so Gods Obedient People should use the Sunday Holily As concerning the particular duties to be done on the Sabbath-day there being so many Learned and Godly men who have Written so fully of them and are or may be in most mens Hands or Closets I forbear to speak of them here for brevities sake referring the Reader to their Plenty and now in the next place will speak of the second part of this Commandment CHAP. XVII The great care and provision had by the Lord for mans keeping and Sanctifying the Sabbath day THE former part of this fourth Commandment which is that we should keep Holy the Sabbath-day hath been at large handled before now it resteth that I speak somewhat of the second part also which I will do briefly in this Chapter In this second part is set out in many words the great care and provision had of the Lord that men should observe this Law and keep holy the Sabbath day as God commandeth And this provision of the Lord standeth not in one two or three only but in many and weighty Inducements and reasons the least of which should have been sufficient to inforce our Obedience had not our hearts been hardned and we most rebellious wilfully refusing to yield Obedience unto the same The several inducements and reasons the Lord used to win us unto obedience to this Law are these First Is the Caveat prefixed only to this and to none other of the Commandments Remember Remember the Sabbath day to Sanctifie it This charge of heedfulness would mightily work upon an Obedient heart he would every day of his six be thinking how to do and dispatch all his businesses in those days that when the seventh day come he may freely without any incumbrance betake himself to the Worship and Service of his God and when it cometh will be mindful of the day and careful of observing and keeping the same Holy as his God Commandeth Secondly The Lord hath here plainly pointed out unto man what day is the Sabbath-day which he should Sanctifie The Lord hath affixed as it were an Index to this Law that as the true hour of the day is known and pointed out by the Index or Finger in a Dial whereby he that can but tell the number of the hour-lines may easily know what hour of the day it is so here he that can but tell the days of the week may easily tell what day is the Sabbath-day Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath The seventh day is the Sabbath not the seventh day from thy Birth nor the seventh day from the first