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
seventh day from the first beginning of the Creation they will never come to agree in the Truth but more and more differences will still rise Whereas if they all consent in the true understanding of the aforesaid words of the Commandment that the seventh day relateth to the six days of work with men and so must be the day after the six week-days of labour with People wherever they dwell Agreement then of all sides will be had That great stumbling-block given the Jews of our not keeping the seventh day according to Gods Precept and Example which doth so stave them off from affecting our Religion will be wholly taken away they cannot then but acknowledge that we keep the seventh day of the week the day following our six days of labour the very Sabbath-day pointed out unto us here in this Law They also who now stand for a new Sabbath-day who say the Sabbath-day is changed and the first day of the week to have been Instituted instead of the seventh will have no ground for such their assertion And lastly they who say the Church of Christ never observed the Sabbath since Christs Ascension and would from the practice of the Apostles and the Church of Christ argue the Abrogation of the seventh-day-Sabbath will quickly be of another mind and acknowledge that as the Jews observed that day for their Sabbath which in this Law was commanded by the Lord God so Christians also have ever done They have observed the same day the last day of the week the day following their six days of labour according to Gods example But Courteous Reader haply thou doubtest here and wouldest be satisfied that whereas God commandeth by this Law all his Obedient Children to keep the seventh day of the week which is the Sabbath day holy unto his Honour If the Jews then keep the Sabbath-day on the seventh day of the week according to Gods command How can Christians who keep their Sabbath a whole day after be said to keep their Sabbath on the seventh day of the week too according to Gods Commandment For thy satisfaction herein let me now ask thee one Question like unto thine thine answer to mine will satisfie thine own Suppose the Pope made a Decree that all his obedient Children should keep the 25. day of December which is Christmas-day holy to the honour of Christ If the French then keep Christmas-day on the 25th of December according to the Popes decree How can the English Papists who kept their Christmas-day full ten days after be said to keep their christmas-Christmas-day on the 25th day of December too according to the Popes Decree Thou wilt answer me that the French and English Papists did all of them keep their christmas-Christmas-day on the same day of the month on the 25th day of December according to the Popes Decree and that the reason why the 25th day of December with the French came to be ten days sooner than with the English was for that they began their months sooner by ten days than the English did ever since Pope Gregory altered their year The like answer I give thee the Jews and Christians all of them keep their Sabbath on the same day of the week on the seventh day of the week and that the reason why the seventh day of the week with the Jews came to be a day sooner then it did with Christians was because they began their week a day sooner than they did before and sooner than the Gentiles did and Christians now do and that did they ever since the Lord caused them after their coming out of Egypt to alter their year and their months as I have shewed in the third and tenth Chapters more fully So that if we could agree in the true understanding of the aforesaid words of the Commandment that by the seventh day is not meant the day following Gods six days of work but the day following mens six days of labour all our controversies about the Sabbath-day will soon end Wherefore to clear and make apparent unto all men that this is the true meaning and that the said words of the Commandment are so to be understood I have in this ensuing Tract First discover'd that old and rotten root from whence this error of holding the day of Gods Rest to be the same with the Jews Sabbath where-ever they lived had its first spring and that was from a meer supposal of the Earths superficies to be plain as a Champion field as is shewed fully in the 11. Chap. Indeed if the Earth be pla n every day must be the same day with all People Every of the six days at the Creation must be every where the same day of the week and so the seventh day from the first beginning of the Creation the day of Gods Rest must be the seventh day of the week with the Jews in Judea in Ophir in Spain and in all other places the which cannot be if the Earth be round as thou mayest see more at large in Chap. 11. Object But the days of the week begin sooner in some places than in other Then so may the day of Gods rest also Answ One and the same week-day doth not begin sooner in some places than in other The day which men call Sunday at Jerusalem begins sooner than the day we call Sunday here But they be not both one and the same day One and the same day is for one and the same place only If one and the same day should begin sooner in some places than in other then it must needs be that either it must begin in some one place or other first before it began in any place else either East or West thereto or else that it was infinite without any first beginning at all Either of which no understanding man will affirm much less that the day of Gods Rest begins sooner in one place than in another Secondly I have proved sufficiently that the day of Gods Rest could not be the same with the Jews Sabbath-day nor the same kind of day and that all and every of the days of the Creation were far different from week-days that were in use with the Jews or are or at any time have been in use with men To this purpose I have shewed what kind of days our week days be and what the Jews week-days be and what the days of the Creation were and how they all differ in kind from each other in Chap 2 3 4 5 6. And then what kind of day the Sabbath-day must be in Chap. 7. Thirdly I have shew'd what day the Sabbath-day is to be in respect of order and tale That it is to be the seventh day Not the seventh day from the first beginning of the Creation nor the seventh day from any set Era or Epoche but the seventh day from the time we begin the week for labour where we live in Chap. 8. Concerning which I have shewed why the Lord set the Israelites a time when they
the first day of the Creation All the Art and indeavour of man is not sufficient to find out whether the first day of Creation was Sunday or Saturday or Monday c. and therefore not whether the day of Gods Rest was Thursday Friday or Saturday Let it yet be further granted that it was Sunday on which the first day of the Creation began and therefore the day of Gods Rest must then have its beginning on Saturday No man can for all that tell within eleven hours at what time of the Sunday the first day of the Creation or at what time of the Saturday the day of Gods Rest began either here or in Virginia or in Rome Jerusalem Paradise or in any other place whatsoever whether it was at Sun-rising Sun-setting noon or at the hour of one or two c. in the forenoon or afternoon Wherefore if by the seventh here commanded had been meant an Universal day it must be then that seventh Universal day on which God Rested the which cannot be observed by men because they cannot tell on what day of their week nor about what time of their day they should begin the observation thereof Secondly an Universal day such as was the day of Gods Rest cannot be observed of all the People of God Though it should be granted what is of some believed that the day of God's Rest began in Paradise on Saturday and at the rising of the Sun there yet all Gods People cannot observe that very day For 1. The earth being Global and the true longitude of the place where Paradise was being unknown no man can tell when to begin that day in the place where he liveth We know when it is Saturday in some places it is then Sunday or Friday in some other places We know that when Christ Rose from the Grave it was then Sunday at Jerusalem in the fore-noon and we know that it was then Saturday in Virginia in the afternoon but no man can knowingly say that the day of Gods Rest beginneth on the Saturday in the forenoon with him though it be granted that it so began in Paradise 2. Though the day of Gods Rest or any other Universal day be made known unto men at what time and on what day it began in Paradise and the very place where Paradise was made known also Yet all Gods People could not possibly keep that very day of Gods Rest By reason of the diversity of Longitudes of the Places wherein they may Live they cannot keep all of them one and the same day This hath been proved unto us fully and plainly even by the opposers of the Sabbath Dr. Heylin hath even demonstrated the same that men could not possibly have kept one and the same day for their Sabbath had it been commanded (a) Heyl part 1. pag. 45 46 47 48. And further sheweth that the Jews themselves kept not the very day of Gods Rest (b) Page 125. though they had one day in seven set apart for Holy Rest and meditation Mr. Ironside also (c) Irons chap. 18. pag. 164. from the diversity of Meridians proveth that one and the same day cannot be Universally kept and therefore never commanded the whole Church One and the same day could not possibly be observed a Sabbath by all the Jews in the East-parts and West-parts too of Judea and in Babylon and in Rome by reason of their diversity of Longitudes And if it be supposed to be but two or three degrees difference of Longitude yet will that difference make the days as truly to differ from being the same as will an hundred and three though it will not make them so much to differ The like argument hath Doctor Francis White late Bishop of Ely (d) Dr. Francis White in his Treat of the Sabb. pag. 175. and divers others Wherefore sith the Universal day such as was the day of Gods Rest cannot be possibly kept by all Gods People no more than any other set particular day can it is not the day here commanded by the Lord. The Sabbath-day here commanded to be kept Holy is such a kind of day as may be known kept and observed by men wheresoever they inhabit though in many and divers Longitudes of the Earth Such as might have been kept in the Wilderness where the Law was delivered and in the East and West-parts of Canaan and in Babylon Rome Spain and in all other habitable places and therefore ought to be either an Horizontal or else a Meridional day In all places of the World none other but Horizontal or Meridional days are now or at any other time heretofore have been in use with men for measuring out unto them their seven days or week and such as are their six days of the week for Labour such ought the seventh day even the day for Holy Rest to be also The Sabbath-day with the Jews was an Horizontal day but then such were the other days of their week also and what Nation soever have their week to consist of Horizontal days ought to have their Sabbath-day to be so also In the North of Russia and of the King of Denmarks and Queen of Swedens Countreys where the Sun maketh many Revolutions at some seasons of the year between his rising and setting men cannot count their week by Horizontal days but they do and have counted their weeks by Meridional days And so do all Christians generally of what Longitude or Latitude of the Earth soever they are mete out their weeks by Meridional days then such ought their seventh day of their week to be also CHAP. VIII What day the Sabbath is to be in order or tale NOw is to be shewn what day in tale is to be the Lords day or Sabbath of the Lord and this the Law-giver himself hath plainly pointed out unto us in this Law to be the day following the six days of labour so that none need to say the knowledge hereof is hidden from us Who shall ascend for us into Heaven and bring the knowledge thereof to us that we may know it and observe it But it is clearly demonstrated unto us by the Lord God so that he that worketh with the Spade may know the same as well as he that handleth the Pen. Six days shalt thou labour and c. but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The seventh day that is the day following the six known days of labour is none of ours it is the Lords day We may not make the Sabbath-day to be the sixth day for then we should shew our selves unthankful in not receiving the Lords own bountiful allowance nor the eighth day for then we should encroach on the Lords right and not be contented with his Liberal allowance of six days for our selves reserving only the seventh for himself much less ought we to make it the fifth or the ninth or tenth or any other than the seventh day Our weeks are not to consist
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 week And a little after It is true saith he that Clemens Alexandrinus brings many Authorities out of Homer Hesiod and Callimachus to prove that the very Heathen know that the seventh day was to be kept holy (b) Irons ch 9. which they could not know or do without the observation of weeks but herein he holds them to be Thieves of Holy things having stoln this light out of Moses writings which they had Translated Whereas the Heathen had not Moses books Translated hundreds of years after Homer as I before shewed concerning which I referr the Reader to that Learned Discourse of John Gregory of the seventy Interpreters 2. Dr. Heylin in his History of the Sabbath and in the second part tells us That Christians of the first Ages called the days of the week according as they found the time divided and that we retain those names amongst us whereat some a e become offended which were commended to us by our Ancestors and to them by theirs (c) Heyl. Part. 2. page 61. He sheweth out of Polydore Virgil that Pope Sylvester hating the name and memory of the Gentile Gods by whose names they called the week-days gave order that the days should be called by the name of Feriae and the distinction to be made by Prima feria Secunda feria c. And out of Honorius Augustodunensis that the Hebrews call their days he meaneth their week-days the first of the Sabbath c. The Pagans thus The day of the Sun the day of the Moon c And Christians thus The Lords day Feria Prima c. (d) Page 62. He saith further That they are more nice than wise who out of a desire to have all things new would have new names for every day of the week he meaneth or call them as sometimes they were The first day of the week the second day of the week c. and all for fear lest it be thought that we do still adore those Gods whom the Gentiles Worshipped St Augustine as it seems had met with some this way affected and thus disputes the Case with Faustus Manichaeus The Gentiles saith the Father gave unto every day of the week the name of one or other of their Gods and so they did also unto every mâ—neth If then we keep the name of March and not think of Mars why may we not preserve the day of Saturn and not think of Saturn Dr. Heylin addeth Why may we then not keep the name of Sunday and not think of Phoebus or Apollo or by what other name soever the old Poets call him (e) Heyl part 2. Page 63. 3. Dr. Francis White late Bishop of Ely who hath also written against the Morality of the Sabbath doth yet acknowledge one day in seven for Gods Worship to be most agreeaable to reason (f) Dr. White de Sab. pag. 90. 107 151. which presupposeth weeks to be from the beginning unless men were then void of reason 4. Gomarus also who hath stoutly written against the Sabbath doth confess that Methuselah Sem and Abraham retained the knowledge of the Creation and of the seventh day (a) Gomar de Sab. p. 113. though he will at no hand grant that they keep it holy yet their retaining the memory and knowledge of the seventh day proveth them to have observation of weeks Seventhly they who compiled the book of Homilies tell us That it is according to the Law of Nature to have a time as one day in the week wherein we ought to rest from our lawful works (b) Hom. for the time of Prayer but this could never be done without the observation of weeks Lastly Dr. Twisse sheweth and proveth that the distinction of time by weeks was observed by the Gentiles from all Antiquity and confirmeth the same out of many Learned Writers to whose book of the Moraltty of the fourth Commandment I referr the Reader and therein chiefly to these pages 12 13 15 59 60 63 77 78 151 152 153 189 199 200 208. to 214. As also to Rivetus de Origine Sabbati and therein chiefly to the pages 15 16 63 64. 65 66. to 81. CHAP. XIV Objection against Antiquity of Weeks answered The hourly Government of the Planets is feigned THere may be many who have published abroad to the World that there is a certain hourly Rule or Government which the Planets have given them of the Creator by which every of them successively and in a vicissitude doth govern his hour according to this common distich Cynthia Mercurius Venus Sol Mars Jove Satur Ordine retrogrado sibi quivis vendicat horam Hence they say that untill this hourly Government was by skilful Astronomers found out and known the Gentiles had no weeks and having no weeks they could not have the seventh-day Sacred supposing none before this to have week but the Jews only and therefore none but they to have a Sabbath-day Among many other Dr. Heylin was of this opinion who from hence doth argue the Sabbath-day not to be moral being not observed or known but by the Jews only He would have us take it for granted that no Nation without the knowledge of Astrology the Jews excepted whereby men came first to know the Planets hourly Government and so consequently what Planet governed the first hour in every day could have weeks or call the week-days by the names of the Planets The Gentiles saith he following the motion of the Planets gave to each day the name of that particular Planet by which the first hour of the day was governed as their Astrologers had taught them (c) Heyl par 2. pag. 61. And he assumeth that Astrologers found out this knowledge of the Planetary government but in latter times All the Chaldean Astrologers all the Magicians among the Persians he held to be ignorant herein and therefore during the Assyrian and Persian Monarchy weeks not to be in use Yea he tells us farther that neither the Greeks nor Romans when they were in their greatest flourish for Arts and Empire had weeks because they had not as then gotten this supposed excellency of Astrology to know by the motions of the Planets what Planet governed the first hour in every day (a) Heyl. part 1. page 84. Though the Planets had as some say this orderly and hourly government even from the day of their Creation Yet the Dr. holds that neither Plato nor Pythagoras nor any of the famous Astronomers before Eudoxus had gotten this excellency First saith he the Greeks learnt the motions of the Planets of Eudoxus and therefore could not know the week before He doth grant that they might have great Astrologers among them and yet be Ignorant of this hourly government of the Planets whereby they constantly point out the week and the days of the week For he saith of the Romans that they were well enough acquainted with the Planets in their later times Yet they diviâ—ed not their Calendar into weeks till
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
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-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-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
one whereof they called the Morning and the other the Evening Gen. 29.23 Eccles 11.6 1 Sam. 17.16 Jer. 6.4 though an act was done before day yet did they count it to be done in the morning Gen. 31.55 Laban rose early in the night according to the Vulgar Translation which in ours is early in the morning The like is said of Moses Exod. 34.4 Mary Magdalen coming to the Sepulchre was before day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the darkness or night yet in being John 20.1 notwithstanding that time was counted to be in the morning and the time of our Saviours Resurrection was before that yet was it in the morning This kind of day that is the Meridional day is and ever hath been in common use with all Christians who do and have counted the day as their Heathen Ancestors did before them after mid-night reckoning one two three and so to twelve of the Clock in the morning and the like in the afternoon for the evening So we at this time do begin the day from mid-night making the morning to be the former part of the day and the evening the latter part So did the Egyptians who were for dividing and observing of time excellent and so did the Romans and accordingly so did Christians begin the day from mid-night Aegyptii Sacerdotes Romani à media nocte in alteram mediam noctem numerabant diem qua consuetudo adhuc in Ecclesia Romana permansit saith Clavius (a) Clav. in Sphaerae Jo. de sacro Bos ubi de officiis Meridian In like manner did the Jews begin the day with them in their ordinary and common account of time making the morning to be the former part of the day though the Jews from their coming out of Egypt began all their sacred days or Sabbaths from the time of the setting of the Sun See chap. 3. and also the days serving to meet out to them their sacred days Exod. 13.6 7. Lev. 23.5 6. Ex. 12.18 19. Deut. 16.4 all which were Sabbatical days and called by the Jews The first day of the Sabbath the second day of the Sabbath c. for thus they called the days of their Week or Sabbath Yet otherwise commonly and generally they continued to count their day to begin with the morning as before Never did they begin any day of their Month but with the morning making the evening to be the latter part of the day As for instance the day before their coming out of Rameses was the fourteenth day of Abib Num. 33.3 Ex. 12.6.18 In that night that is in the night of that fourteenth day they did eat the Passover Exod. 12.8 and in that night before the morrow they burned what of the Passover they eat not Exod. 12.10 and not one after that till mid-night was past and the morrow come was to go out of the door of his house Exod. 12.22 At mid-night all the first born in Egypt were slain Exod. 2.29 But the next day that is after mid-night Pharaoh and the Egyptians urged them while it was night to rise and haste away Insomuch that the Israelites took their dough before it was leavened and so in haste went from Rameses Exod. 12.30.31 32 33 34 37. Whence it is evident that the evening in which they ate the Passover and were not to stir out of doors till the morning was part of the fourteenth day and that the time after mid-night in which they were urged to haste away and in which they went abroad out of doors to provide their Cattle to consult about their Journey and their going from Rameses was on the fifteenth day They ate the Passover on the fourteenth and took their journey on the fifteenth day Numb 33.3 Secondly The flesh of the Peace-offering was to be eaten on the same day it was offered and might not be eaten after the whole evening was fully past The same may appear also if the offering had been a vow Lev 7.15 16 17 18. Thirdly The day in which Jesus Christ ate the Passover with his Disciples was the fourteenth day of the month on the same day Christs Disciples asked him where they should provide and prepare for him to eat the Passover and on the same day Peter denyed his Master and the Cock crew Mar. 14.30 Luke 22.34 I say the Question demanded of Christ by his Disciples the killing the Paschal Lamb the eating the Passover Peters denying his Master and the Cocks crowing were all done on one and the same day of the month though the eating the Passover Peters denial and the Cocks crowing were done in the evening in the latter part of that fourteenth day The Astronomers especially and some others in Antient times began the Meridional day at noon John of Holifax telleth us that the Arabians began their day at noon and giveth this reason for it Because when the Sun was made and appeared to the World it was then in a Meridian (a) Jo de sacr Bosc in libello de Computo Ecclesiastico In the day so beginning at noon they had the same parts of the day viz. morning and evening only they made the evening to be the former part And it is more probable than otherwise that when the Sun was made and first appeared to the World it was then in the same Meridian that Paradise was of making it then to be noon there At that time doth the Sun shew it self with the greatest light Deut. 28 29. Job 11.17.5.14 Psal 37. Isa 59.10 Amos 8.9 lustre strength and glory making it to be Sun-rising ninety degrees from it West-ward and Sun-setting ninety degrees from it Eastward and day-light in all places in either side Now I see no reason and I think no man can give any to the contrary but that the Sun should rather thus appear in its glory to Paradise first than unto Spain Judea America or to any other place whatsoever And then if so Moses had good reason even from hence to set the evening before the morning See ch 2. And then it is likely that God made the living Creature after his kind and Adam also in the afternoon and that in the night following I mean when it was night in Paradise though it was then day in some other places the deep sleep fell on Adam when God made the Woman and that she was brought unto him in the morning The naming of the Creatures may be after this for ought we know to the contrary yet all before the next evening that is before the next day beginning at noon there But if any will contend that unless there be better proofs given than probabilities we should not conceive the days of the Creation either the fourth sixth or seventh to begin in Paradise rather at noon than at mid-night Sun-rising or at Sun-setting Yet sure it is more than probable thâ—â— Moses would have the evening to begin at noon What else could he mean by the two Evenings which he in
on the Cross on one and the same day Sith it was the fourteenth day at Even when he eat the Passover and gave then his Body and Blood Sacramentally when he instituted the Lords Supper but it was the fifteenth day when he wrought our full Redemption and actually and really gave his Body and Blood for us on the Cross The answer to both these are the same It was on one and the same day of their Week but not of their month for it was on the fourteenth day of Abib on which the Israelites ate the Passover in Egypt but their going out of Egypt from Rameses was on the fifteenth day So also Christ ate the Passover with his Disciples on the fourteenth day of the first month according to the Law of the Passover but he was Crucified on the next day which was the fifteenth day In the fourteenth day of the first month at Even is the Lords Passover on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast Num. 28.16 17. Lev. 23.15 6. Yet both in one and the same day of their week for the days of their week ever after their freedom from slavery were as I shewed before Horizontal days every of which began at the Sun-setting of the former day at the time they ate the Passover in Egypt so they were commanded to begin their Sabbath days Lev. 23.32 and therefore so also did they begin the days of their week called the Sabbath for meting out to them their Sabbath-days And herein the Romanists do not a little Judaize who continued the like custom of beginning all their Sacred days as Lyranus tells us In diem seriam viz. decimam quartam c. On the fourteenth day of the month in the Even whereof the Lamb was sacrificed and the Solemnity of the Passover began which was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the month According to which custom the Solemnities of our Church do begin with the evening of the day before going (a) Lyra. Postil in Joan. 13. Christ with the Disciples ate the Passover and was Crucified also on one and the same week day which was the sixth day of the week with the Jews which consisted partly of our Thursday and partly of our Friday as their Sabbath-day consisted partly of our Friday and partly of our Saturday 2. If it be demanded whether the demand made by the Disciples where they should prepare the Passover and their killing the Paschal Lamb and their eating the Passover and Peters denial and the Cocks Crowing were all done in the same day The answer hereto is like the former They were done in the same day of the month but not in the same day of their week The Disciples demand the killing and preparing the Passover was all in the fifth day of their week but their eating it and Peters denial and the Cocks Crowing were done on the sixth day of their week Yet all on the fourteenth day of the month and all done on our day of the week which we call Thursday 3. If it be demanded How we may conceive it to be on the first day of unleavened bread in which the Disciples asked of Christ where they should prepare for him to eat the Passover Sith the Evangelists Mark and Luke do affirm it to be on that day Mar. 14.12 Luke 22.7 yet the first of the seven days of unleavened bread began not till the time of eating the Passover The answer is as before The first day of the week of unleavened bread was not then begun but the first day of the month of unleavened bread was begun long before Though there was just one week or seven days of unleavened bread yet were there eight days of the month of unleavened bread On the fourteenth day of the first month they were commanded to eat unleavened bread and so to the one and twentieth day at even Exod. 12.18 From the Even of one to the Even of the other was just a week or seven days but sith they began to eat unleavened bread on the fourteenth day according to the Commandment that fourteenth day of the month was properly their first day of unleavened bread and the one and twentieth was the eighth or last Thus St. Matthew calleth the first of those eight days in which they ate unleavened bread the first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread Mat. 26.17 The like answer is made unto those who object out of John 13.1 that Christ ate not the Passover on the Feast-day of the Passover but one day foregoing And many more such like questions and doubts may hereby be resolved CHAP. VII What kind of day the Sabbath-day is Not known when the day of Gods rest beginneth THe Sabbath-day of the Lord is not an Artificial day which hath no night nor is but a part of the Horizontal day See chap. 1. For the Sabbath-day is proportionable unto the other six days of the week allowed for labour every of which hath a night or darkness as well as day-light and in which night men may as lawfully labour as in the day-light Joseph and Mary fled by night Mat. 2 14. The Disciples of Christ rowed by night and in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them Mat. 14.25 Some Countreys are so hot that their chiefest work is in the night and so dangerous by reason of Wild Beasts that their chiefest care over their flocks is by night Jacobs special care over Labans flock was such Gen. 31.40 And when Christ was born an Angel brought the glad tidings thereof to the Shepherds by night as they were watching their flocks Luke 2.8 If the six days of labour which God alloweth Man be such as have nights as well as day-lights then such ought the sabbath-Sabbath-day of the Lord to be also Neither is the sabbath-Sabbath-day here commanded an Universal day such as was the very day of Gods rest For then there would have been an impossibility in respect of the thing it self for men to keep the same and that for these two reasons First It is impossible for any man to know within half a year what time of the year it is with us when the first year of the World began Some have presumed to tell the same to a day and in the Calendar prefixed to our Church-Bibles and Common Prayer Books suppose it to be the five and twentieth day of March and there the same day is supposed to be that in which Christ was Conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary which if granted the thirtieth day of the same month of March must be yearly the day of Gods Rest For if one be the first day of the Creation the other must be the seventh Again Let it be as supposed so granted that the 25th day of March yearly is truly the first day of the Creation yet not a man living is there that can tell within three days what day of our week that five and twentieth day of March was which was
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
Worship to the Sun and to every of the rest of the Host of Heaven as I have shewed before which was the first hour of the day with them he hath been said and held to begin his Lordship or Government on the beginning or first hour of that day and hence is it that that day was by the Antient Heathen called the day of the Sun the like may be said of the other names of the week-days That the week-days were by the Heathens called by the names of the Planets as they were the Heathens Gods adored by them is evident not only from the Testimonies of sundry Learned men but also from Dr. Heylins own Pen. He himself doth say as much for ask this question of him and he will tell you yea and saith That they are more Nice than Wise who out of a desire to have all things new would have new names for every day or call them as sometimes they were the first day of the week the second day of the week sic de caeteris and all for fear lest it be thought that we do still adore those Gods whom the Gentiles VVorshipped (a) Heyl part 2. page 63. Ask by whose Authority he proveth week-days to have their names from the Gods of the Heathen He tells us by St. Augustines and alledgeth these his words Deorum suorum nomina Gentes imposuerunt diebus istis c. The Gentiles saith the Father gave to every day of the week the name of one or other of their Gods c. Ask him again why Pâ—pe Sylvester changed the names of the week-days and would have no week-day to be called by the name of any of the Planets but all to be called by the names of Feria prima Feria secunda c. Was it for that Eudoxus had learn't the aforesaid Government of the Planets and so he and other Astrologers after him taught this rarity in their Schools whereby many admit all Grecians had weeks and called the week-days by the names of the Planets as their Astronomers taught them and now the Pope fearing lest the Romans from the example of the Greeks should in time come to have weeks for till that time and after that too untill the Romans had admitted Christianity throughout their Empire Dr. Heylin saith they had no weeks (b) Heyl. part page 84. and should call the week-days by the names of the Planets as the Grecians did No sure it was for that the Gentiles generally as Romans and Greeks did call the days of the week as they were taught from their Ancestors and they from theirs even by the names of their Gods which of Old they adored who were the seven Planets and for that Christians also generally except Jews did call them so in like manner as their Heathen Ancestors did even in the time when this Pope lived which so displeased the said Pope that in detestation of the memory of these Heathen Gods he changed the names of the week-days and decreed to have them called by the names of Feriae Dr. Heylin proving this citeth Polydore Virgil for his authority Sylvester Romanus Pontifex ejus nominis primus vanorum deorum memoriam inabhorrens (c) Pol. Vir. de Inv. rerum l. 6. c. 5. c. Sylvester the first Pope of that name hating the name and memory of the Gentile Gods gave order that the days should be called by the name of Feriae (d) Heyl. part 2. page 62. c. Had the Planets such Power and Vertue given them of God so to Govern by an hourly course as that thereby every week-day was designed and pointed out Sylvester had cause rather to magnifie the Creator who revealed the knowledge hereof unto some which was kept secret from all Generations till then and to have in Love and Laud the Parties though Heathen to whom the Lord had made known this Rarity whereby the Grecians had weeks in his life time and the Romans and other Nations might in short time come to have weeks also than to bear such spite and hatred to the Planets for such their Vertue given them or to the finders out of this Planetary Government as should move him to take away the memory either of the Planets or of this their Government or of the finders out thereof by changing the names of the week-days sure his dislike and hatred was against the Idolatry of the Heathen who still continued to count the Planets as Gods and to call the week-days by their names hence is it that he made the change even to take away the remembrance of their names out of mens especially out of Christians mouths Thus having now been shewed first that there is indeed no such hourly Government as is pretended And secondly that the week-days had not their names from thence Any man may see the weakness of Dr. Heylins principal argument to prove thereby that neither of the four great Monarchies nor any People else the Jews only excepted had weeks and therefore no Sabbath CHAP. XV. Sunday was the seventh day with the Gentiles Sunday continued to be the seventh day of the week with Christians HAving declared what weeks are and the long continuance of them and also answered the main objection made against their Antiquity I will now indeavour to make apparent that Sunday was not only a seventh but the seventh day with the Gentiles Concerning which it hath already been proved 1. That the seven Planets were of the old Gentiles Gods 2. That the seven days of the week were deputed to those their Gods and as John Gregory doth assure us (a) Jo. Greg. in his Assyrian Monarchy in his Assyrians Monarchy that the days of the week were called of the Assyrians by the names of the same Planets unto whom the week-days were severally dedicated and that all Nations did from them call the days of the week in like manner 3. That the Sun was of all their Gods held the Chiefest and Supream Now common sense and reason will tell us that the day which was by them Dedicated to their Chiefest God and bare his Name the day of the Sun which we call Sunday must be with them the chiefest day of all the seven in their estimation and therefore was it with them not only a seventh day of the week but the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither was Sunday the seventh day of the week with the Idolatrous Gentiles only but was also as it is most probable that seventh day which the Patriarchs before the Flood held to the Honour of the Creator in remembrance of the Creation and of Gods Resting on the seventh day For when Nimrod otherwise called Saturnus Babylonicus Belus his Son and other Potentates of Assyria and Chaldea had Idolatrously set up the whole Host of Heaven that is the Sun Moon and the other Planets with constellations subservient to them which of the seven days of the week will any reasonable man imagine did they dedicate to the
Honour of their greatest God the Sun rather than that which before was held to the Honour of God the Creator Surely not any other And when the Assyrian and Chaldean Powers had as much as in them lay robbed God if I may so say of his Titles Attributes Providence Works of Creation Government and Worship and gave the chief of all their spoils to their chiefest God the Sun Nimrod giving him the name Baal (a) Jo. Greg. Assyr Monar which he afterwards assumed to himself (b) Biblian Belus giving him the name Jove Jehovah in the Hebrew the which he assumed afterward unto himself and was called Jove Bel. They called the Sun God and held him the God of Gods and Lord of Lords and Governour of all things and that the World was not Created but was from everlasting governed by the Planets the Sun being Chief and Soveraign Ruler Would they not do the like may any one think with that day which was held to the Honour of the Creator All that was known to be for the Worship and Honour of God the Creator they gave to the Honour of the Sun and therefore doubtless they deputed to the Sun that day also Again When they assigned to every of those Gods the several days of the week no indifferent understanding man but will conceive that they would Dedicate to their greatest God the Sun the day held before to the Honour of the great God of Heaven and Earth rather than to the Moon Mercury or other inferior Gods So that most likely the seventh day with the Patriarks was none other but that which afterwards was the Suns day with the Assyrians and from them was called the day of the Sun with other Nations also as the other week-days were called by the names of the other Planets and so by custom have they continued to be called with all Nations of any note for Civility and Knowledge except with the Jews only who after their coming out of Egypt had another day assigned unto them for their seventh Sacred day and had a special Command given them not to make any mention of those Gods of the Nations nor to have their names at all in their mouth as I have shewed before 2. Sunday was the seventh day of the week with the Gentiles as may be Collected from the Pens of many Learned Authors as well Christian as Heathen Aug. Steuchius in Gen. 2. Speaking of the seventh day affirmed that it was in omni aetate inter omnes gentes venerabilis sacer The like do Chrysostome Beda and other more whose words I have before in the 13. Chapter expressed Also amongst the most Antient Poets divers of them do testifie the same as Linus Callimachus Hesiod and Homer who was above two hundred years before Eudoxus knew what Astrology was All of them were Heathen yet all of them spake very laudably of the seventh Sacred day Their words for brevities sake I will not here rehearse sith they are to be seen and are urged by many Writers as namely Clem. Alexand. Strom. l. 5. Euseb de Praep. Evang. l. 13. c. 17. Rivetus in Gen. c. 2. and in his Dissert de Origine Sabba Also Dr. Heylin in his History of the Sabbath part 1. c. 4. Now the seventh day so laudably by them spoken of was the day of the Sun For 1. It was not Saturday the Jews seventh day The Gentiles liked the Jews Saturday as said a Papist the Devil doth Holy-water It was counted by them a disdainful novelty their Poets commonly would have one lash or other at the Jews for it and never spake in honour thereof 2. The Adversaries themselves do grant that the day of the Sun was the seventh day and Sacred also with the Heathen but here 's their evasion The seventh day Sacred to the Sun with the Heathen say they was the seventh day of the Month and not the seventh day of the week Now that the day of the Sun was the seventh day of the week with the Heathen and not the seventh day of the month thus I prove 1. Clemens and Eusebius both alledge the said Poets to shew that the Gentiles had the seventh day of the week Sacred with them 2. Other Authors generally take Sunday with the Gentiles for a week-day and not for the day of a month 3. Had the seventh day Sacred to the Sun been the seventh day of every month as they affirm the Greeks doubtless would have noted the same down in their Calenders Though they could not set down constantly the seventh day of the week by reason of their intercaling so many days at a time no more than others then could do and no more than we can set down the moveable Feasts that were with us unless it be in a yearly Almanack before that Julius Caesar had corrected the year Yet never shall we see a Calender in which the Principal immovable Sacred days were omitted Now there is an Antient Attick Calendar to be seen in Scaliger de emend temp wherein things of less consequence are noted but this seventh day Sacred to the Sun in each month cannot be found 4. Dr. Francis White and Dr. Heylin also tell us (b) White of the Sabbath p. 197. Heyl. par 2. p. 53. that Christians of the first Ages because they kept the Sunday for their Sacred Services and bowed Eastward in their Worship were upbraided for Sun-Worshippers though they neither Worshipped the Sun nor called their day of Worshipping God Sunday but the Lords day being their Sabbath Sacred day of Rest to the Lord. Surely if Sunday had not been with the Heathen who were Sun Worshippers indeed a weekly service day but the seventh day of the month only there had been no cause or ground why either Jew or Gentile should have cast such an aspersion on them of being Worshippers of the Sun 5. This may further appear by the decree of Pope Milchiades whom some call Miltiades the last of all the Popes that were Martyrs He to make a clear difference between the observation of Sunday by Christians and the observation of Sunday by the Heathen ordained that all Gentiles who were converted and were Christians should not fast on the Sundays nor on Thursdays as the other Gentiles did Note that as Wednesday Friday and Sunday were now in late times called Sacred or Prayer-days so were Thursday and Sunday in old times on which days they filled not themselves as on other days till their Sacred Services were ended The decree Sever. Binius on the Life of the said Pope sets down thus Jejunium verò Dominici diei quintae feriae nemo celebrare debet ut inter jejunium Christianorum Gentilium veraciter c. He would not that Christians should fast on the Thursday and on the Lords day called by the Gentiles Sunday that so there might be an open and apparent distinction between Christians and the Heathen in the observation of those days From which time
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
and Captain Cavendise and their companies who Travelled round the Earth with them either out of tenderness of Conscience or else out of obstinacy continued to keep that Sunday Sacred which fell to them by course and true tale of the days succeeding each other they must needs have had their Sunday on our Munday and our Sunday would be their Saturday When it was holy day with them it would be working day with us and holy day with us when they would work So Tacitus said of the Jews Profana illic quae apud nos sacra rursum concessa quae nobis illicita (a) Corn. Tacit. Diurnal li. 21. Now how unquiet may any one imagine should those Travellers have lived among us as long as our Sunday was a week-day with them Would not every Ballad-maker have had them in their Rimes Would they not have been a by-word with all and every Apparator would be ready with a Citation for them And can we conceive that Christians at first should find more favour from the Heathen for their wilfulness which was less excuseable 2. Most Christians then were either Servants or of the poorer sort of People and the Gentiles most probably would not give their servants liberty to cease from working on any other set day constantly except on their Sunday 3. Had they changed their seventh day from their Sunday to another day there must have followed an unsufferable confusion in the count of the week-days with whom they lived as for example had Sir Francis Drake and his company observed at his return the weeks which by his exact account fell to them by course and not have changed them and made them the same with our weeks there would have followed a miserable confusion even in their own families The third day of the week with some must have been the fourth with others of the same family And never a day would have been the same with them all The like would it have been with the Christians and Gentiles with whom they lived if they had changed their seventh standing day for Gods Worship which was Sunday for another 4. Because had they assayed such a change it would have been a Testimony against them of slighting the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour The Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 who on the Sunday most Triumphantly Rose from the Dead for the Justification of all his People 5. It would have been but labour in vain for them to have assayed the same they could never have brought it to pass For 1. They had no authoritative specification of any set day either by Jesus Christ or by his Apostles on which they ought to keep the Lords day Had there so been St. Paul would never have prest the indifferency of days as he did Rom 14.1 2 Col. 2.16 nor would he himself have with the believing Jews kept the Saturday Acts 13.14 42.17 2 18.4 and with the Christians by Christians I mean the Gentiles converted to Christ have kept the Sunday Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 neither would the believing Jews have remained so obstinate but would have kept that day for their Sabbath which was so pointed out unto them if there had been such Whereas they for the generality of them would never be withdrawn to keep any other than their Saturday for their Sabbath hundreds of years after the Apostles days 2. They had no coercive Power to draw refusers to the observation of any other day for the Lords day had they been so disposed to have set any other 3. Christians were not all of one City or of one Countrey or of one Nation Tongue or Government It would have been even a miracle to have gotten all Christians in all parts of the World to have observed one and the same day for the Lords day with them all which should be chosen not by a general meeting or by a general consent but by some of them only had they chosen any other than the day of the Sun which they were generally before their Conversion accustomed to keep The People of Israel were but one Nation all of one Tongue and severed from all other People and also had Moses their Captain-General yet Moses should never have withdrawn them from their old accustomed day to the observation of the Saturday-Sabbath different from the custom of all other Nations had not the Lord God miraculously in the fall of Quails and Manna Exod. 16.12 16 22 23 26. shewed that it was his good pleasure so to have it when he assigned unto them their six days for their labour and so pointing out to them the Saturday being the seventh from their first gathering Quails and Manna to be the day of Holy Rest unto the Lord. Sylvester the first Pope of that name when out of his hatred to the memory of the Heathen Gods he would have changed but the names of the week-days decreed them to be called by the names of Feriae as hath been before shewed though he was of great Authority and Command and highly beloved of the People yet he could not prevail herein but with very few except Schollars the vulgar People in their common talk called their week days as they did before by the names of the Planets and so have they continued to call them even to this day The Jews are now a weak People yet there is not a Prince or Power on earth able to withdraw them from their Superstitious Custom of keeping the Saturday Sacred yea the believing Jews as was shewed in the Apostles time and in many years after could not be won by any means that the Christians might use to give over their Saturday-Sabbath and for Unities sake to keep the Lords day on the Sunday except a very few of them who better knew and acknowledged their liberty by Christ How impossible may we then think it to be for any to bring to pass that all Christians in all quarters of the World should leave off their observing the Sunday Sacred and have another day instead thereof In vain therefore would it have been for poor Christians at first to have assayed the same These reasons if there were no more may suffice to shew that although all days be in themselves indifferent yet Christians should not have well done had they endeavoured to have changed their seventh Sacred day from Sunday to any other week-day no not to Thursday though it was the day of Christ his glorious Ascension nor to Friday though it was the day in which Christ paid our Ransom but better to retain the same day as they did and which the Church of Christ hath since that kept even to this present time and by Gods Grace will so do unto the end CHAP. XVI The Sabbath-day is to be sanctified Works of Piety Government and of Nature only are to be done on the Sabbath-day c. the necessary helps thereunto THere hath been before shewed that the Sabbath day in this Law commanded to be kept holy