weeks of the World Secondly for the superstructure if the foundation fall not I have reason to be confident thereof since its evident both by ocular Demonstration and by the common Principles of Arithmetick by which it may be proved as firmly and clearly as any summe or total may by examining the particulars yet do I not presume to bind any by my poore judgement but he may by the help of these Tables follow what date he please by adding or substracting the just difference of yeers between his and my Aera For example He who beleevs Abraham was born when Terah was seventie yeers old Let him substract sixtie yeers out of my date of Abrahams birth and he hath the just yeer of the World according to his own account Again he who beleevs the Promise was made to Abraham being seventy five yeers old Let him add five yeers to my date of the World and he hath his own account So of the rest It s Truth I seek and shall be willing to learn of any nor desire further to be credited than Truth shall bear me out DIFFICULTIES IN SACRED CHRONOLOGIE CONTROVERTED BY THE LEARNED 1. SHem was neither Noahs first-born nor youngest Son as appears by comparing Gen. 9.24 and 10.21 He was born then when Noah was not five hundred but five hundred and two yeers old as appears by the birth of Arphaxad Gen. 11.10 Noah was six hundred and two yeers old two yeers after the Floud At the same time Shem was one hundred yeer old substract one hundred out of six hundred and two there rest five hundred and two the just age of Noah when Shem was born Japhet was the eldest Shem the second and C ham the youngest Genesis 9.24 Onely Shem is first named for dignity Genesis 5.32 2. The Promise was made to Abraham in Vr and not in Haran when he was seventy year old and not seventy five That it was not in Haran but in Vr appears by Acts 7.2 3. that it was not when Abraham was seventy five yeer old is as evident because he was but seventy five yeers old at his departure from Haran where yet he dwelt till his Fathers death Acts 7.4 Gen. 12.4 Whence by the way note that Abraham was born not the seventieth but the hundred and thirtieth yeer of Terah at the soonest He was seventie five yeer old when Terah was two hundred and five yeer old at his death substract seventie five out of two hundred and five there rest an hundred and thirtie the just age of Terah when Abraham was born Abraham then was not Terahs first born but is named first as Shem was for dignitie Gen. 11.26 Now to prove the Promise was made when Abraham was seventie yeers old Note that the Israelites went out of Egypt precisely to a night at the end of four hundred and thirtie yeers Exod. 12.40 41. All which time Abraham and his seed sojourned in strange Lands and were afflicted Foure hundred yeers of this his seed was a sojourner Gen. 15.13 that is Isaack and his Posteritie Acts 7.6 Isaack was born and so began to sojourn when Abraham was an hundred yeers old The four hundred yeers then began at the end of Abrahams hundredth yeer and end at the going out of Egypt at which time also the four hundred and thirty yeers expire and therefore must begin thirtie yeers before the foure hundred yeers that is thirtie yeers before Abraham was an hundred yeer old Substract then thirtie out of an hundred there rest seventie the just age of Abraham when the Promise was made to him in Vr Whence its further evident the Promise was made to him at Spring namely the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the Moneth Abib They who begin the four hundred yeers at Ishmaels mocking besides a plain errour leave us at great uncertainties since there is no Scripture-evidence at all when Ishmael mocked Isaack and supposing as they would five yeer after Isaacks birth it makes but a difference of five yeers and the Aera of the Promise five yeers later 3. Concerning the Aera or beginning of the Babylonish captivity Note there were foure captivities First in Nebuchadnezzars first yeer which concurred with the third and fourth yeer of Jehoiakim Jer. 25.1 and Daniel 1.1 The second in the seventh yeer of Nebuchadnezzar The third in the eighteenth yeer of Nebuchadnezzar The fourth in the twentie third yeer of Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 52.28 29.30 The Nations were to serve him his sonne and his grand-child Jer. 27.7 That is Nebuchadnezzar Evâ—lmerodach and Belshazzar I see not then why the first captivitie should not begin the seventie yeers at which time divers of the Princes and part of the Holy Vessels were carried to Babylon Dan. 1.2 3. The desolation of Ierusalem Dan. 9.2 then began as also of the whole land and was at last accomplished under the fourth captivity after the death of Gedaliah so that the whole land lay waste not above fourty seven yeers God in mercy so moderating that great affliction of his people They who begin the captivity at the carrying away of Iechonias must of necessitie conclude that some of the Vessels and Princes were held captive above seventy yeers And they who begin it not till the eleventh of Zedekiah go likewise against the words of the Prophet Jer. 29.10 who foretold but seventie yeers captivitie to them that were carried away with Jechonias of which indeed about seven or eight yeers were past when they came to Babylon Jer. 25.1 and 27.6 7. and Daniel 1.1.3 4. The greatest controversie is about the beginning of Daniels seventy weeks Had not profane Chronology contradicted none I think would have doubted but that the seventy weeks of yeers began when the seventy yeers of captivity ended But the great difficulty is how to reconcile sacred and profane Chronologie To me the Scripture seems to carrie it strongly that the seventy weeks immediately followed the seventy yeers which method ccordingly I have followed in this Chronologie and that upon these grounds 1. From the age of those who saw both Temples finished Ezra 3.12 compared with Haggai 2.3 Suppose they were but ten yeer old at Zedekiahs captivity add to that at least sixty two yeers of the seventy yeers captivity beginning eight yeers before and to this an hundred and eleven yeers from the first of Cyrus to the sixth of Darius Nothus when the second Temple was finished These men must be at least an hundred eighty and three yeers old and so exceed the age of Isaack 2. It appears further from the age of Ezra his Father Seraiah was slain by Nebuchadnezzar in the eleventh yeer of Zedekiah 2 King 25.18.21 compared with Ezra 7.1 and he with his brother Jehozadac went into captivitie 1 Chron 6.14 15. Suppose now Ezra to be a posthuma proles and that he was carried captive in his mothers belly in the eleventh yeer of Zedekiah you must make him at least sixty two yeers old at the end of the
to the old World spoke of in Gen. 6.3 is noted page 25. in a distinct colume to page 27. then follows a new Aera or Period of time from the Floud which hapned Anno Mundi 1657. and page 36. a New period of the Promise and another of Circumcision in the same page and page 45. is noted the Aera of the Lamb or Passeover and in the next page the Aera of Canaan entred Page 54. is noted the Aera of Salomons Temple and page 55. the Aera of the division when the Kingdom was rent from Salomon in Rehoboham and ten Tribes were given to Ieroboam All these seven periods of time besides that of the Creation are famous in Scipture and are noted distinctly in their several columns as they fall in one after another being prefixed before the columnes of the Patriarchs c. Besides those three great Aeraes or Periods so famous in prophane Chronologie namely Aera Olympica Vrbis conditae Nabonassaris noted page 59. and 60. These things being premised it will not be difficult for the Reader to finde out in what year of the World or in what year of those famous Periods any remarkable passage fell out in Scripture yet the better to help the Reader I have given him a view of altogether in the ensuing draught   W. Adam 130 130 Seth 105 235 Enos 90 325 Kenan 70 395 Mahalaleel 65 460 Jared 162 622 Enoch 65 687 Methusalah 187 874 Lamech 182 1056 Noah 502 1558 Shem 100 1658 Arphaxad 35 1693 Selah 30 1723 Eber 34 1757 Peleg 30 1787 Reu 32 1819 Serug 30 1849 Nahor 29 1878 Terah 130 2008 Abraham 100 2108 Isaack 60 2168 Jacob 91 2259 Joseph 110 2369 Void 59 2428 Moses 120 2548 Joshuah 17 2565 Othniel 40 2605 Ehud and Shamgar 80 2685 Deborah 40 2725 Gideon 40 2765 Abimelech 3 2768 Tolah 23 2791 Jair 22 2813 Jephtah 6 2819 Ibsan 7 2826 Elon 10 2836 Abdon 8 2844 Samson 20 2864 Eli 40 2904 Samnel and Saul 40 2944 David 40 2984 Solomon 40 3024 Division 390 3414 Captivitie 51 3465 Daniels weeks 490 3955 Adde to these the seven famous Aeraes mentioned in the Scripture   W. From the Creation to the Floud 1656 1656 Promise 422 2078 Circumcision 29 2107 Passeover 401 2508 Canaan 40 2548 Temple 440 2988 Division 36 3024 The Reader may haply wonder why in this Table I note but fiftie one yeers of the captivity of Babylon The reason is because nineteen yeers currant of those seventy yeers run parallel with the nineteen last of Ezekiels three hundred ninety yeers containing the space from the division to the Captivitie of Zedekiah and the burning of Solomons Temple See Ezekiel 4.5 Substract nineteen out of seventy yeers there rests fifty one yeers the just space of the Captivity from the 11. of Zedekiah ending which indeed was the third Captivity the first hapning in the fourth of Jehoiakim the second about the 11. of Jehoiakim ending Take one or two instances to clear the use of the fore-going directions for a right understanding of the parallel lives in the Chronological Tables Adam lived to see eight Patriarchs namely till Lamech was fifty six yeer old I would know how old each of the Patriarchs were when Lamech was born For answer turn to page 12. You shall find that at the birth of Lamech Adam was eight hundred seventie and four yeers old Seth seven hundred fourtie and four yeers old Enos six hundred thirty and nine yeers old Kenan five hundred fourty and nine yeers old Mahalaleel four hundred seventy and nine yeers old Iared four hundred and fourteen yeers old Enoch two hundred fiftie and two yeers old Methuselah one hundred eighty and seven yeers old All those yeers of their lives lying in one parallel line from the left hand to the right with the yeer of Lamecks birth which fell out toward the end of the hundred twenty and fifth week of the world each week containing the space of seven yeers By the same rule you may find out the concent of any of their yeers and that in effect as certainly as if the Scripture had said in express terms that when Lamech was born Adam was eight hundred seventy and four yeers old c. Which yet must not be understood to a moneth and day since it is not probable all the Patriarchs were born in one and the same moneth and day of the yeer but that a great part of each of their yeers ran parallel as haply nine ten or eleven moneths And this Latitude must needs be granted us because the Scripture notes onely the yeer not the moneth and day in which each Patriarch was born and where the Holy Ghost is silent we must not be curious It s enough for us to be as wise as God would have us Nay I am confident not all the skill of all the men in the world from the beginning to the end of the world will be able to find out all Truths contained in Scripture either directly or by consequence but the full opening of the Book of Scripture and the Book of Providence will be a great part of the Saints work and happiness in Heaven So that we may well conclude with David Psalm 119.96 That Gods commandment is exceeding broad If the Chronologie of Scripture one of its meanest parts contain almost infinite consequences what shall we think of the whole Scripture which though never so often read yet still like God the Author affords us new varieties so as at every reading you shall observe some thing which you knew not before Express places are like ripe fruit that may be eaten presently but consequences are like the fruit in the seed or like fire in the flint virtually not formally in the Text yet as sure as that which is in express terms so the deduction be right For instance Gen. 5.3 the Scripture saith expresly Adam was an hundred and thirty yeers old and begat Seth from whence I infer that if Adam were an hundred and thirty yeers old at Seths birth then he was an hundred thirty and five yeers old when Seth was five yeers old and a hundred fourty and five yeer old when Seth was fifteen yeers old c. because five yeers being added to an hundred and thirty make just a hundred and thirty five yeers and fifteen yeers being added to 130 make an hundred and fourty five yeers Yet it s no where said in Scripture that Adam was an hundred and five yeers old when Seth was five yeers old c. onely it s proved by consequence by way of syllogism whereof one Proposition is grounded upon express Scripture the other upon sence and experience from both which infallible premises the conclusion must flow of necessity and cannot be denied I clear it thus by an hypotheticall syllogism If Adam were an hundred and thirty five yeers old when Seth was born then he was an hundred and thirty five yeers old when Seth was
captivitie and according to some sixty nine yeers old after which he lived at least to the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon as is evident by his being present at the dedication of the wall Nehem. 12.36 For the building whereof Nehemiah got leave of this King in the twentieth yeer of his Reign Nehem. 2.1 The same Ezra also preached under the government of Nehemiah Nehem. 8.1 2. whose government lasted twelve yeers Nehem. 13.6 compared with Nehem. 2.1 to the 32. of Artaxerxes Now in what yeer of Nehemiah the wall was finished is uncertain Suppose therefore Ezra lived but to the end of the twentieth yeer of Artaxerxes which is the least can be imagined from the first of Cyrus to the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon is 136. yeers at least to which add sixty two yeers of Eraes age under the captivity its apparent he lived at least an hundred ninety eight yeers which how probable let any indifferent man judge 3. From that speech of the Jews to our Saviour John 2.20 Fourty and six yeers was this Temple a building which answers patt with that of Daniel 9.25 That from the Decree of Cyrus to Messias should be seven weeks of yeers which cannot be understood of Messias coming personally but Typically Now the Temple being a principal Type of Christ was finished in the midst of the seventh week that is in the fourty sixth yeer after the return as Messiah whom it Typified did both suffer and was glorified in the midst of the seventieth or last week Dan. 9.26 27. Others who make it to be about an hundred and eleven yeers from the foundation to the finishing of the Temple have no way to salve that speech of the Jews Iohn 2.20 but by flying to several intervals wherein the building of the Temple laid dead and so would make us believe that fourty six yeers were spent in actual building of the Temple which to me is improbable For as they were laying the foundation Ezra 3.8.10 and 4.1 The adversaries whose malice would suffer them to loose no time began betimes to hinder them partly by weakning their hands by suits of Law and partly by complaining to the King against them Ezra 4.4 5.7.16 And verse 24. its expresly said the work ceased till the second yeer of Darius which agrees with Haggai 1.1 and Ezra 5. 1 2. so that it is probable the work ceased from the laying of the foundation till the second yeer of Darius in whose sixth yeer it was finished Ezra 6.15 and so probably about five or six yeers in actual building And so by consequence that speech of the Jews must be took in this sense that from the foundation to the finishing of the second Temple was but fourty six yeers and by proportion from the first of Cyrus to the sixth of Darius Nothus were not above fourty seven yeers by sacred Chronologie which yet by profane Chronologie is an hundred and twelve yeers And in truth the Olympiads themselves by which Historians measured the raigns of their Kings are much doubted and questioned by Plutarch in the very beginning of his Numa p. 60. B. 4. From the answer of the Angel Gabriel to Daniel Dan. 9.25 For first the Angel coming to instruct Daniel certainly would speak to Daniels apprehension But Daniel could understand this command to build Jerusalem to proceed from no other King but Cyrus being well acquainted with the Prophesie of Esay about him and had not Daniel undoubtedly understood it thus he might well have objected to Gabriel I understand thus much indeed that seventy weeks after the going forth of the commandment Messias shall accomplish our redemption but unlesse you further satisfie me at what time precisely and from what King this Decree shall be issued forth I am little or nothing the wiser To clear it by another supposed instance should the Spirit of God reveal to any that precisely 40-yeers after the ruine of Antichrist the Turk shall be destroyed unless he be pleased withal to reveal in what yeer Antichrist shall be destroyed I could neither inform my self nor others directly when the Turk shall he ruind So it was in this case The Angel came not to deceive Daniel but to inform him Secondly to prove from the Text that this must needs be the command of Cyrus The words in the original run thus Vnderstand that from the going forth of the word to cause to return and to build Jerusalem c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil signifies properly to cause to return From hence then I argue That Decree which at once commanded the captivity to return and to build Ierusalem that and that onely began Daniels seventy weeks But there was no Decree of any King but onely of Cyrus that at once commanded both these Ergo nor indeed could Daniel understand it of any other that no other King commanded both these is evident Darius commanded to build the Temple but neither to return the captivitie nor to build the Citie Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah a Commission to repair the Citie but not to return the captivity The same Artaxerxes gave Ezra Commission to return some Captives but neither to repair the City nor to build the Temple For proof of these three see Ezrah 6.6 7. Nehemiah 2.3.8 Ezra 7.13 Of all the Persian Kings onely Cyrus except Artaxerxes Mnemon to whom yet the date can not agree made a Decree First for returning the captivity Secondly for building the Temple And thirdly for building of the Citie also Ezra 1.2.3 Esay 44.28 and 45.13 And though no Decree of Cyrus be extant for building of Ierusalem yet it is evident by the Prophet in the forementioned places that he did make a Decree for the building of the Citie as well as of the Temple otherwise how could it be said He shall build my Citie And that he should say of Ierusalem thou shalt be built No man is so mad to think Cyrus built it himself but it was built by his order and direction as the Temple was built by Solomon By all which I think it may appear that Daniels weeks began at the end of the seventie yeers and with the first of Cyrus I might add how improbable it is that the Scripture should discover every thing about Christ save only the time when he should come into the world c. which yet is so material a circumstance but we must be beholding to profane Chronology for which as I shewed before is doubtful and might have been lost Had a Iew or any other come to Daniel after his conference with Gabriel Dan. 9. and asked him when Messias should suffer The answer had been ready out of Daniel 9.25.27 in the midst of the seventieth or last week But had the Jew further replyed in what yeer of the world Let us onely suppose now that the first yeer of Cyrus ran parallel with Anno Mundi 3466. The fourth yeer being the midst of the last or seventieth week that the four hundred
eightie seventh yeer currant I should conceive that Messias was to suffer Anno Mundi 3952. Might not Daniel well have answered I pray pardon me there for to tell you the Truth I know not whether the seventy weeks begin the first yeer of Cyrus or in the raign of some other King and am still to seek in what yeer of the world Christ shall suffer By all which its apparent That either the seventie weeks began with the first of Cyrus and the last of the Babilonish Captivitie or else for all Gabriels vision he was still ignorant when Christ should suffer as knowing not when the seventie weeks were to begin The next or fifth difficulty is about the Jubilees which some make to contain fourtie and nine others fiftie solid yeers To me it seems probable they contain but fourtie and nine solid yeers a peece so that the fiftieth or Jubilee yeer is the last of the preceding Jubilee and the first of the following Jubilee and that upon this ground because otherwise the course of the Sabbatical yeers must needs be broken once every fiftie yeers by a yeer added to every seven weeks of yeers which make just fourty and nine yeers so that the seventh week of the Jubilee must contain eight yeers which is as absurd as to say a week contains eight dayes Now whereas there are two sorts of Jubilees namely the Jubilees of the World and the Jubilees of Canaan the question is when the Jubilees of Canaan begin Ordinarily they are reckoned from the Conquest of the Land by Joshuah that is about seven yeers after they entred Canaan To me it seems far more probable they rather began the September after Canaan was entred Levit. 25.2 The Scripture sayes not when you have Conquered but when you come into the Land which I shall give you then shall the Land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord. The first Sabbath of yeers then began the Autumne after their entrance into Canaan which they entred in the Spring in the tenth day of the seventh moneth Seven of which Sabbaths made fourtie and nine yeers and so the fiftieth yeer or the yeer of Jubilee began on the tenth day of the seventh Moneth and was proclaimed by sound of Trumpet throughout all the Land in the very day of Atonement Levit. 25.9 10. I conclude then that the fiftieth yeer after they entred Canaan was the yeer of Jubilee and not the fiftie seventh yeer as some would have it And after this rate as appears in my Chronologie the Jubilees of Canaan run parallel with the Jubilees of the World and are noted in the top of the Columne that contains the Sabbatical yeers Yet to give satisfaction I have noted in the Columne containing the yeers of the World the Jubilees that contain fifty solid yeers and in the Columne of the Sabbatical yeers I have noted both the Jubilees that began at their entrance and also seven yeer after they entred Canaan Thus p. 53. in the top of the Columne for the Sabbatical yeer the fiftie ninth Jubilee of the World and the seventh Jubilee of Canaan concur with the eight and twentieth yeer of Elies government after my account but after the ordinary account the seventh Jubilee concurs with the thirty fifth yeer of Ely If we reckon fifty yeers to a Jubilee the seventh Jubilee concurs with the first yeer of Saul as is noted in the same Column the reason is clear because every Jubilee gains a yeer and therefore the seventh Jubilee must needs fall seven yeers later In the same page my fifty and ninth Iubilee concurs with the twenty eighth of Ely but if we reckon fiftie yeers to a Jubilee then the fifty eighth Jubilee of the world concurs with the thirty sixth of Ely 9. yeer later then the former the reason is because a yeer is gained in every Jubilee and so the fifty eighth Jubilee containing fifty yeers falls later than the fifty ninth Jubilee containing but fourty nine yeers The sixth Difficulty is about the Expiration or end of Daniels seventy weeks which some terminate with the death of Christ others with the destruction of Jerusalem Daniel seems cleerly to terminate them with the death of Christ Daniel 9.24 by which he made reconciliation for sinne brought in everlasting Righteousness c. Of which their return from Captivity was but a type and shadow Nor doth it follow that the seventy weeks reach to the destruction of Jerusalem because mention thereof is made in this Prophesie For besides that the twenty fourth verse determines the seventy weeks in the Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ It s further evident by the several parcels of the seventie weeks verse 25 26. seven weeks and sixty two weeks after which Messias was to be cut off seven and six two make sixty nine after which namely in the midst of the seventieth week verse 27. Messias by offering up himself should cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease virtually they being of no force after the death of Christ though they were in use as well as other Ceremonies till the destruction of Jerusalem And though the Translatours divide the seven weeks Daniel 9.25 by a Colon from the 62. weeks in the same verse following therein the custome of the Hebrews who usually make the Accent Athnac to serve for a Colon as if the seven weeks had proper reference to Messias and the sixty two weeks to the building of the street and wall Yet besides that this sence cannot agree with the History its evident that in divers places of Scripture the Accent Athnac cannot express a Colon nay scarce so much as a Comma for proof whereof I offer these places to the judgement of the Learned Psalme 70.3 4 5. If you count the Title of the Psalme for the first verse as the Hebrews do Ps 71.14 and 79.6 and 84.4 and 86.2 and 72. last and 1 Kings 8.17 And why then should we in this place namely Dan. 9.25 take Athnac from a Colon when as the sence can as ill bear it here as in any of the fore-mentioned places and without a Colon the sence is clear and direct that from that Decree as before to Messias should be seven weeks and sixty two weeks that is just sixty nine weeks namely to that time in which he should beginne his Ministerial Office in which he continued the first half of the last or seventieth week that is three yeers and an half and then by his death took away the daily Sacrifice in its significancy and virtue confirming the Covenant the last half of that week by his Apostles and after that rejecting the Jews for contempt thereof as learned Mede observes Let us then suppose which to me seems to come neerest the Truth that Daniels weeks begin where the seventy yeers of Captivity ended That is according to my Chronologie Anno Mundi 3466. Add to this four hundred and ninety yeers contained in Daniels seventy weeks of yeers The summe is three thousand nine hundred
East or West the beginning of the Lords day varies one minute Next that neither the Lords day nor Jewish Sabbath namely the first and last day of the week fall precisely upon the same point of time they did in the creation is as evident as the former because the Sunnes standing still in the time of Joshua and going back ten degrees in the dayes of Hezekiah have made a manifest alteration and in probability at least of twenty foure houres or thereabouts For though the Sun and Moon stood yet time stayed not and though afterwards the Sunne went backwards yet still time went forwards fourteen houres probably in Joshuahs time supposing the Sunne stood an artificiall day which with them in Summer was about fourteen houres and ten houres in Hezekiahs dayes so as that day being fourteen houres longer then any former day made all the following Sabbaths till Hezekiahs time to fall fourteen houres later then any former Sabbath and after Hezekiahs recovery the Jewish Sabbath fell ten houres later than all the Sabbaths from Joshuahs time and twenty foure houres later than all the Sabbaths from the beginning of the world till the dayes of Joshuah that is just an whole naturall day later than before So as in truth after Hezekiahs recovery the Jewish Sabbath fell punctually upon the first day of the week and our Christian Sabbath by proportion falls on the second day of the week by reason of those twenty foure houres extraordinary inserted in the dayes of Joshua and Hezekiah But when then must the Christian Sabbath or our Lords day begin Answ To me it seems farre more easie to speak to the Negative than the affirmative and to tell when it begins not than when it begins Certainly a seventh part of time is to be kept and that seventh part must be the first of the week on which our Saviour rose and which upon the former grounds seems to be in precisenesse of time rather the second then first day of the weeke But at what houre this day ought to begin is the great question I have been apt to think and easily should be perswaded with divers eminent for Piety and Learning that it ought to begin at Sunne set were I not staggered with that text Iohn 20.19 being compared with Luke 24.13.29.36 From which places being compared I clearly draw these conclusions First that it was the first day of the week when our Saviour appeared to the ten Apostles for Thomas was not with them till the Lords day following John 20.26 Secondly that on that very day he appeared to the two disciples going to Emam and supped with them it being so late before Supper as they would not suffer our Saviour to go any further that night Luke 24.29 Thirdly That these things fell out at the Equinoctiall when the Sunne alwayes sets at six in the Evening and so probably it was toward Sunne-set when they went to Supper at which time it was dangerous to travell not onely for robbers but also for wilde beasts Psalme 104.19.22 which I suppose was the ground why they constrained our Saviour to abide with them Fourthly that after Supper the two Disciples returned again to JERUSALEM being distant from EMAUS seven miles and an half every mile containing eight furlongs Luke 24.13.33 Now suppose they had supped by Sunset and withall that they footed it after the rate of foure mile an houre for no doubt they went to JERUSALEM with a good will to carry the newes of our Saviours resurrection they came thither toward eight at night and as they were relating the good tidings to the tenne Apostles our Saviour himselfe appeared amongst them Luke 24.36 Suppose then it were but eight at night when Christ appeared its apparent that it was two houres after Sun-set though others thinke it was farre later and so could be no part of the first day of the week if the first day of the weeke end at Sun-set But Iohn sayes expressely that the Evening of the first day of the weeke Christ appeared Iohn 20.19 whereas the first day of the weeke was past two houres before with them who begin the first day at Sun-set Nor can this argument be solidly evaded by those who say that here John reckoned the day after the Roman account from mid-night to mid-night For first granting the Romanes reckoned so it will be a very hard taske for them to prove that John intended here to follow their acount and we can as easily deny it as they affirm it Secondly as feare scattered the Apostles at our Saviours death so probably conscience of the Lords Day made them keepe so late together otherwise they had been safer from the Jewes danger being asunder than together which was the ground they now shut the doores upon themselves John 20.19 This is further confirmed by their meeting again the Lords Day following verse 26. as also by Pauls preaching on the first day of the weeke till midnight Acts 20.7 And though his Sermon might be longer then ordinary because he was to leave the Disciples of TROAS yet the ground of his preaching that evening was the conscience of the Lords Day nor did hee probably begin his Sermon till after the celebration of the Lords Supper which in those times was at night 1 Cor. 11.20 21. and after Supper in imitation of our Saviour though this custome hath ceased with us for the most part as well as dipping in Baptisme because of the inconveniency of meeting so late especially in many places where the people live further off from the place of Assembly And I think either place or time doth binde unlesse there be an expresse command for it Otherwise we should be bound to receive the Lords Supper in an upper roome as well as after Supper By all hath beene said appears very probably that the latter as well as the former Evening is part of the Christian Sabbath Let who will interpret John to speak after the Roman account I must crave liberty to adhere to that rather then the Jewish account especially since Paul himself hath confirmed this interpretation by his own practice Act. 20.7 And why the time of the day may not be altered as well as the day it self and that by the same authority I see no cleare evidence to the contrary Nor see I any convincing strength in that maine argument so much insisted upon The first day of the weeke is the Christian Sabbath Evening and morning are the first day of the week Ergo Evening and morning are the Christian Sabbath For first grant the whole Syllogisme it makes not against us For since the Evening is put for night and the morning for day our Christian Sabbath still begins at Evening if it begin at midnight and so still Evening and morning are the Christian Sabbath Secondly to the Major we answer that the denomination is taken a Majors parte and therefore the Christian Sabbath is truly said to be the first day of the weeke and