Judgment also of Irenaeus Lib. 4. c. 30. and of Eusebius 1 Histor. c. 4. And thus may we best explicate that of Genesis 2. God blessed the Seventh day and Sanctified it which the Hebrew Masters will have to be spoken by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anticpation as if Moses should say that this Cessation of God from His work of Creation was the cause why after in the time of Moses the Celebration or Sanctification of the Seventh day was ordained But the righter interpretation is that which distinguishes the precept of keeping holy the Sabbath from the precept of resting from Labour as by the causes so also by the times And to this difference Moses himself seems to have had respect when in Duternomy to these words Observe the Sabbath day to sanctifie it he adds as the Lord thy God hath Commanded three namly long ago from the very beginning of the World as Grotius conceives or as Selden from the time when the Israelites were encamp'd in Mara a part of the Wilderness so call'd from the brackish bitterness of the Waters where the observation of the Sabbath was first instituted about forty days before that institution was renew'd in the Decalogue For he refers the first word of this Precept Remember to the first Sabbath there instituted And true it is that the first Sabbath was celebrated by the Israelites in their tenth Mansion or encamping in Alush part of the desert of Sin They came from Elim into the desert of Sin upon the Fifteenth day of the Second Month from their beginning to march Six days Manna was gathered and one the Seventh the People Sabbatized So that the first observation of the Sabbath fell upon the 22. day of the same Month which being the Second Month from their Exit out of Egypt was after named Iiar for the names of the Hebrew Months were then unborn and that 22. day of this Month answers to the 23. of May in the Julian year The Seder Olam makes this Month Hollow i. e. of but Twenty nine days not Full i. e. of Thirty days Whence in computing the feriae or Holy days of these Months there hath risen up a discrepancy of one day betwixt that Chronicon and the Talmudist's But that alternate distinction of Months as our most Excellent Chronologist Sir Iohn Marsham in Chronic. Canon pag 184. observes doth not well agree with the antick Chronology of the Hebrews How then shall we reconcile these two different opinions concerning the respect of the word Remember the one asserted by Grotius the other by Selden By granting that the Precept de observando Sabbato in commemoration of the Aegyptian Servitude was first given to the Israelites in Mara and a little after renewed at the promulgation of the Decalogue as pertinent particularly and only to them and consequently that so far Selden is in the right but that the institution of the Sabbath in grateful memory of the Worlds Creation by God wherein all Mankind were equally concern'd was as ancient as the World it self and extended to all Nations universally and therefore Grotius who seems to have consider'd this general institution and the cause of it is so far in the right too For That some knowledge and veneration of the Sabbath was by Tradition of highest antiquity derived to other Nations beside the Hebrews and remain'd among them for some ages Clemens Alexandrinus Stromat l. 5. and Eusebius in Praepar Evang. have clearly shewn as by other Testimonies so particularly by the Verses of Hesiod where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seventh day is call'd Holy And in Iosephus Philo Theophilus and Lucan are places that manifestly attest the same long-liv'd Tradition And upon this account it was that the Primitive Christians who believ'd that by Christ all things were reduced to the same State wherein they had been constituted from the beginning Piously celebrated the Sabbath and therein held their Solemn Assemblies in which the Law was publickly read and expounded as appears from that of the Acts 15. 21. Which Custom flourished until it was antiquated by the Laodicen Synod which judged it more convenient and profitable to Christians that instead of the Law the Gospels should be upon that day read to the People assembled So Sacred in those more Pure and Pious times was the memory of the Sabbath originally instituted that Men might with glad and grateful hearts acknowledge and celebrate with Praises the Infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness of God shewn in the Creation of the Universe that they equall'd the Sanctity thereof to that of the Lord's day consecrated to the perpetual remembrance of that greatest Seal of our Faith and pledge of our hopes the Resurrection of our Redeemer from the dead Hence Balsamo most appositely said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. By the Holy Fathers the Sabbath days were held in all respects equal to the Lords days Hence also Gregorius Nyssenus calls these two days Brethren as worthy of equal Veneration and Solemnity and the Ancient Book of the Constitutions of Clement l. 7. c. 24. gives this in Precept Diem Sabbatti diem Dominicam festas habete quoniam illa Creationis altera Resurrections memoriae dicata est Nor was it from any other cause That by the most ancient Church was introduced the Custom of not fasting upon the Sabbath because it was a day of joy and gladness as appears from the Epistle of St. Ignatius ad Philippenses where he saith Si quis aut Dominicâ aut Sabbato jejunet excepto uno Sabbato is Christum occidit The same may be inferr'd from that memorable place in Tertullian advers Marcionem meminerat enim ille hoc privilegium donatum Sabbato à primordio quo dies ipse compertus est veniam jejunii dico Where we cannot but observe that this Custom is deduced from the beginning of the World From the same reason it came that Constantine the Emperor permitting to Christians the free use of their Worship at the same time forbad their being compell'd to appear before any Tribunal or Court of Judicature upon the Sabbath no less than upon the Lords day which Edict is yet extant in Eusebius These things being known are sufficient to refute those who think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's day was surrogated into the place of the Sabbath of which mention is no where made by Christ no where by any of the Apostles And St. Paul when Colossi 2. 16 he saith that the Christians are not to be condemned for their Sabbaths and New Moons sheweth plainly that they are free from that Law of resting from labour which liberty would signifie nothing if the Law remaining the day were changed That the Christians therefore appointed and held their Assemblies upon that day wherein their Lord had risen from the dead was not from any Precept either of God or of the Apostles but they did it by vertue of the liberty granted to them and by voluntary
consent among themselves And to violate such Consent after it hath passed into a Custom is not the part of men living in Society But this Custom obliged not to rest from labour farther than was necessary to the holding their Assemblies Having thus briefly shewn the difference betwixt the Precept instituting a Sabbath in memory of the Creation which was from the beginning given to Adam and his whole Posterity and the Precept given particularly to the Hebrews both in Marah and soon after at the promulgation of the Decalogue whereby they were obliged to celebrate the Sabbath by resting from dayly labours in remembrance of their redemption from the Aegyptian servitude and assigned to each its proper cause and time it will not perhaps be impertinent if we subjoin a line or two concerning the Word Sabbata here used in the plural number This Word among the Greeks is listed in the Catalogue of those which tho' pronounced in the number of Multitude are yet notwithstanding often contented with the signification of Unity And so is it often found in the Greek Pentateuch so also in Mat. 12. 1 5 10 11 12. and c. 28. 1. in Mark 1. 21. and 2. 23 24. in Luke 4. 16. On the contrary St. Iohn every where speaks it in the singular as do also the Greek Interpreters of the other books extra Pentateuchum The Latines often exprest it as here in the plural So Horace Sunt hâ—die tricesima Sabbata and Iuvenal Quidam sortiti metuentem Sabbata Patrem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Six days shalt thou work and do all thy works Here now begins that Constitution which is not common to all Mankind but proper to the Hebrews And what is here spoken in the Imperative and in the Future which is often taken from the Imperative hath not the force of a Command but the sense only of suffering or permitting For lest the Modes might be too much multiplyed it hath seem'd good to almost all Nations to express the sense of Permitting as also of Praying with the same sound with which they express the sense of Commanding as for Example sequere Italian ventis in Virgil and ubi nos laverimus si voles lavato in Terence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vre haec cremaque membra in an old Greek Tragedy By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are signified all sorts of Work by Cicero de ligibus l. 2. call'd famula opera Ferii jurgia amovento eaque in famulis operibus patratis habento and by Tertullian Humana opera quotidiana whatsoever men commonly do in their ordinary vocations or daily business 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But on the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The Seventh day is Dedicated to God from the beginning And wisely do Maimonides and other Hebrew Masters distinguish the Cause why rest or quiet was commanded from the cause why it was commanded upon this Day The former cause is exprest in Deuteronomy plainly to be because the Israelites lately freed from the Aegyptian slavery by Divine help ought to remember and consider how hard and grievous Servitude is and therefore to treat their Servants and others subject to their Command with humanity and clemency as Dido in Virgil Non ignara mali miseries succurrere disco The latter is declar'd in this place where it is signifi'd that when any day might have been taken for rest or vacation for Labour this was chosen by God because from the beginning it had been dedicated to joy and the grateful commemoration of the Worlds Creation by Him and because upon the same day God had finish'd all things and ceas'd from Creating whence the Seventh day deriv'd the Name Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not do every work therein God by many Words inculcates this Precept concerning the Sabbath that by the perpetual observation thereof might be impressed upon the minds of all a firm knowledge that this World was not from Eternity but made by God which is a strong inducement to the Veneration of the Omnipotent Creator as on the contrary the belief of the Worlds Eternity is the way to Impiety and down-right Atheism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Son and thy Daughter He understands those who by reason of their Minority have not yet attain'd to knowledge of the Law whom their Parents ought to restrain from working upon the Sabbath For they that are of more advanced Age and understanding are by the Law bound for themselves as likewise in the Law of Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Man-servant and thy Maid-servant This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind and courteous way of speaking much used by the Greeks to their Servants and in imitation of them by the Latins who with like softness and humanity call'd their Men-servants Pueros as hath been of old noted by Servius upon that of Virgil Claudite jam rivos pueri Hence the names of Ancient Men-servants Marcipor Quintipor c. So Epicurus call'd his Servants Friends as Seneca Epist. 107. observes who in imitation of him saith of them Epist. 47. Servi sunt imò homines Servi sunt imo contubernales Servi sunt imò humiles amici Servi sunt imò conservi si cogitaveris tantundem in utrosque licere fortunae Than which he could have said nothing more becoming his great prudence and erudition Hence also were Masters call'd Patres-familias and Mistrisses Matres-familias that by the very Name they might be admonished of humanity And this Precept obligeth Masters not only not to injoyn labours to their Servants of either Sex but not to suffer them to work upon the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Ox and thy Ass and every Beast of thine Observable here is the great Clemency of God who by this Law requires some goodness and mercy to be exercised even to brute Animals that he might remove Men the farther from cruelty toward each other and to confirm this mild Precept the like is given in Deuteron 5. 4. The same reason is urged by Porphyry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Abstinence from eating of the flesh of Animals Hence also was the slaughter of a Plowing Ox prohibited by a Law common to the Phrygians Cyprians Atticks Peloponesians and Romans as we find Recorded by Varro Pliny Columella Porphyry Aelian Vegetius and others The Athenians made a Decree that a Mule should be fed at the Publick Cost which worn out by Labour and Age used to accompany other Mules drawing burdens and banished a Boy for putting out the Eyes of little Birds taking it for a sign of a mischievous and cruel disposition in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are besides Oxen Asses and Mules which also were used to the Yoke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beasts as well Dogs as other quadrupeds But these words are by the Greek Interpreters Translated hither from Deuteron 5. for in the Hebrew is found only one general Name signifying all mute Animals
lawful to raise such Pillars Altars Monuments c. at his pleasure provided he did it not in Cultum Extraneum within the Promis'd Land lest from such example encouragement might be taken for Idolatry it was no more permitted to the Stranger than to an Israelite either to set up a Statue or plant a Grove or make Images or do any other thing of that kind no not meerly for ornament sake as Mr. Selden hath truly observ'd De Iure Naturali Gentium lib. 2. c. 6. The Rabbins hold a Humane Image protuberant to be unlawful but not that which is made in plano flat or in concavo in a hollow Of Caelestial bodies neither prominent nor plane made for ornament were lawful but made for teaching or learning as in Diagrams Astronomical and the like they were permitted Other figures as well an Israelite as a Noachid might form as they pleas'd Of the same respect is that interdict Deut. 7. 26. Non inferes quidpiam ex idolo in domum tuam Thou shalt not bring as our Translation renders it an abomination into thy house which the Iewish Masters thus interpret To have use and enjoy an image made only for ornament was Lawful the same being part of domestick furniture but one made by a Gentile for worship sake was not to be admitted into promiscuous use with other utensils nor was it permitted either to possess or to sell Victims Oblations Vessels instruments consecrated to idolatrous uses Nor was any thing whose use had been interdicted to be retain'd but either burned or broken in pieces and thrown into the Air River or Sea nay the very ashes or coals thereof were an abomination But an Idol it self if melted or broken in pieces and applied to common uses by a Gentile before it came into the possession of an Israelite might be kept and among other utensils commodious to life used because the liquation comminution and application thereof to common uses by the Gentile was a manifest Resecration or Solution of the Religion of it and the Idol being once resecrate all furniture and utensils belonging to it are so too But whatsoever has not been made by Man as a Mountain Fountain River four-footed Beast and other Terrestrial things the works of Nature tho' worship'd as an Idol the use and possession thereof was not prohibited A Grove or Tree planted by a Gentile for Worship or only to shadow or adorn an Idol was so abominable that to an Israelite it was unlawful either to shelter himself from heat cold rain or wind under the boughs of it or to pass through it if there were any other way or to eat the Eggs or Young of Birds building their nest in the branches of it to bring home the wood for building instruments of agriculture or fewel or to eat any bread or meat dress'd with fire made of the wood or to wear cloth woven with a shuttle of the wood or to make use of the ashes And yet the use of herbs growing there was not unlawful because the soil it self was unpoluted Now of all these things whatever was unlawful to an Israelite to do or possess the same was equally unlawful to a Proselyte of the House And this is a Summary of the most learned Rabbins exposition of this first Precept against Extraneous Worship or Idolatry CHAP. V. The second Precept Of Malediction of the Most Holy Name or Blasphemy SO agreeable is this Interdict to the Law of Nature or Light of Reason that even the old Egyptians themselves tho' overspread with the Leprosie of Polytheism acknowledged themselves under a most strict Obligation punctually to observe it as may be inferr'd from hence that Hermippus in the life of Pythagoras whose doctrines were all deriv'd from Egypt among many other Statutes of that Sect concerning the Soul's purification c. sets down this for one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abstain from all Blasphemy To the Israelites God expresly gives the same Lev. 22. 32. Keep my Commandments and do them I am the Lord ye shall not prophane my Holy Name that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Israel Now among the Hebrews a more diligent observation of the Law is call'd Sanctification of the Divine Name and on the contrary to perpetrate any thing against the Law is call'd Prophanation of it as Mr. Selden hath out of the Princes of their Rabbins judiciously remark'd de Iure Natur. Gent. lib. 2. cap. 10. The more notable Interdicts of Idolatry Homicide Unlawful Coition were not to be violated tho' to avoid the danger of imminent Death for of a less danger no account is made In time of publick persecution life was not to be redeem'd by violation of any Law At another time it was sufficient to violation of the Law to obey the person impellent by menaces of Death rather than to be kill'd at least if the act turn'd to the emolument of the impellent as where work was to be done for him upon the Sabbath or if ten or more Hebrews were not present To a sick man it was lawful to eat things prohibited to deliver himself from death Farther a sin against more establish'd customs or manners and humane society tho' not against the Law is a Prophanation of the Holy Name Nor is such Prophanation in any case observ'd to have been fully remitted to any man before the very moment of death according to that of Isai. cap. 22. ver 14. This iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pollution or Prophanation of the Divine Name seems to be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Apostle Rom. 2. 24. but is not that which is interdicted to the Noachid here in this second Precept and Naaman the Syrian cleans'd from the Leprosie 2. of Kings c. 5. v. 18. is brought for an Example The difference is clearly shewn by Mr. Selden de Iur. Nat. Gent. lib. 2. cap. 11. whose words therefore I here faithfully translate The Blasphemy or Malediction by this Precept forbidden is that most Horrible Wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Execration of the Divine Name when any reproach and audacious contumely is openly and maliciously thrown forth against God such as was cast forth by those most impious miscreants the son of Shelomith Levit. 24. and Rabshakeh's Kings 2. ch 18. v. 30. Also when the Divine Majesty is understood to be knowingly and proudly denied from the consequence of any Act or Profession as when any man not from Ignorance but out of Malapertness and Pride professeth and endeavors to perswade others that Idolatry is to be imbraced this man tho' he hath himself worship'd no Idol denies God by consequence and is to be held a Blasphemer And against this most execrable impiety is turned the edge of that Sacred Law Numb 15. 30. But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an high hand whether he
whatsoever which the Greeks render sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beasts sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Four-footed Living Creatures and sometimes from the sense of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wild Beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the stranger that is within thy Gates Of Proselytes there are as we have often hinted in the former part of this disquisition two sorts some who subjected themselves to the whole Mosaic Law that they might be participant of the right of Marriages and Honours among the Holy People others who though of forreign blood were notwithstanding permitted to dwell among the Hebrews so long as they Worshipped one God and observ'd the perpetual and common Laws of all Nations together with the additional Laws interdicting incestuous Copulation and eating of Blood of both which we have spoken profess'dly in the Precepts of the Sons of Noah Now it is of this latter kind of Proselytes as Abenesdras noteth that the Precept here speaks such as had not admitted the Seal of Circumcision and whom St. Luke Act. 17. 4. rightly enough calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devout Greeks because the Hebrews used to call all Gentiles Greeks Here it may be inquir'd Why such a stranger or Proselyte though not oblig'd by other Laws of Moses as appears from Deuter. 4. 2. was yet bound to keep this of resting from Labours upon the Sabbath The reason is this if while the Hebrews rested strangers had been permitted promiscuously to work and dispatch their businesses they would have diverted the stream of gain and profit from the Natives which was repugnant to Justice and Equity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to the Latines Incola a Sojourner one that fixeth his Seat in a Soil not Native to him Thus in the Gospel of St. Luke 24. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art a Peregrine or Stranger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in Six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that are in them A brief description of the Universe as in Acts. 4. 24. At first the Earth was rude and without Form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mud to the Phaenicians intermixt and overwhelm'd with waters which is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abyss or bottomless Gulph Of these God made the Earth dry Land gather'd together the Seas and distinguish'd the Air into two Parts the Superior or Aetherial wherein he placed the Stars and the Inferiour which surrounds the Terraqueous Globe then to this lower Air to the Earth and to the Waters he added their proper Animals and particularly to the Earth he affix'd Herbs Trees c. and in fine He made Man And all in Six days though He could have made them in one Moment that He might by His Example teach Men to act with counsel and deliberation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hasten slowly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he rested upon the Seventh day The sense is taken from Genes 2. 2. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 requievit is signified not that God was weary with working whereof the Divine Nature is incapable but that He ceas'd from Creating or put an end to all His Works converting Himself to the survey and contemplation of the most beautiful World He had newly rais'd and made out of Nothing as Philo excellently observes From Gods Example the Hebrews also were commanded to devote this day to pious Contemplation and the learning and commemorating Sacred things Of which pious Custom there remains an ancient Testimony in 2 Kings 4. 23. and the number Seven was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more anciently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipping Concerning this Seventh day by Philo Lib. de vita Mosis call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Worlds Birth day various are the Opinions of the Iewish Masters Some think that the Septenary period of days was first Instituted by Adam and began from the six days of the Creation Others affirm That Seth found out the way of computing the flux of time by Weeks Months and Years But however disputable this Question be highly probable it is That Philo hit the white of Truth when he observ'd that the true Seventh or Sabbatical Day came first to be known to the Hebrews from the Miraculous cessation of Manna to rain upon that Day whence 't was easie for them to understand what day in the weekly Circle of Seven Days ought to be reckon'd the Seventh from the Creation which was altogether unknown to them before The same most Learned and wise Iew treating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Making of the World and of the Number Seven saith That this Number hath been held of singular honour by the more Illustrious of the Greeks and Barbarians who were versed in Mathematick Studies And certainly the Aegyptians were the most Ancient Masters of the Mathematicks by whom both Pythagoras and Plato being taught have very subtilly Philosophiz'd concerning the power and dignity of the Septenary Number in general which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Number saith A. Gellius from old Varro makes in Heaven the Septentriones or Charle's wain and lesser Constellation of the same Name also the Pleiades and the Seven Planets Nor doth the Zodiac want Characters of that noble Number For in the seventh sign is made the Solstice from Winter or the shortest Day in the year and again from the Summer Solstice in the seventh Sign is made the Winter Solstice Both Equinoxes are confin'd to a Seventh Sign Whence in the Sacred Rites of Osiris a little before the Winter Solstice Plutarch tells us in Iside pag. 372. the Aegyptians used to lead a Cow Seven times about the Temple because the Course of the Sun from Solstice to Solstice is finish'd in the Seventh Month. And they affirm That all the great dangers of the Life and Fortunes of Men which the Chaldeans call Climactericks happen in Septenaries of which abstruse Argument Clemens Alexandrinus Stromat l. 6. pag. 685. and Macrobius in Somn. Scipionis have written copiously and with no less assurance than if they had certainly known that there are such Climacterical Mutations of human Life In Sacred things also in Purifications Invocations and other religious Rites the Septenary Number hath been esteem'd of singular vertue and solemn observation Whence Apuleius describing the manner and ceremonies of his preparation for the Worship of Isis Metamorphos l. 9. Initio saith Me purificandi studio marino lavacro trado septies submerso fluctibus capite quòd eum numerum praecipuè Religioni aptissimum divinus ille Pythagoras prodidit And Virgil Aeneid 6. vers 645. testifies that invocations also were to be Seven times repeated Longâ cum veste Sacerdos Obloquitur numeris Septem discrimina vocum Of the Septenary Number of Days they observe That the monthly Course of the Moon is performed in four times Seven i. e. in Twenty eight days that the Birth of
Infants depends very much upon the power of this Number and they observe the first Seven days the Fourth week and the Seventh as A. Gellius And from the Scholiast upon Aristophanes we learn in Plut. p. 107. that by the Athenians some certain days of every Month besides other Feasts or Holy-days were Consecrated to some Gods particularly as the New-moon and the Seventh to Apollo The Fourth to Mercury the Eighth to Theseus The same was long before taught by Hesiod in this distich Primùm prima quarta septima dies sacra est Hâc enim Apollinem auri-ensem genuit Latona In the Mosaic Rites also the Septenary Number is solemnly respected In the Consecration of the Altar Oyl is Seven times sprinkled upon it in Seven days the Consecration of Priests is Consummated in the Expiation of Sin committed through ignorance the blood of the Bullock is sprinkled by the Priest Seven times before the Mercy-seat Levit. 16. 15. A woman that hath brough forth a Male Child is unclean Seven days She that hath brought forth a Female is unclean twice Seven A man unclean by touching a dead Corpse is expiated upon the Seventh day In the purification of a Leprous Man Seven aspersions and Seven days are Ordain'd and accordingly Naaman wash'd himself Seven times in Iordan Iob offer'd for his friends Seven Bulls and as many Rams Balaam built Seven Altars and prepared Seven Bullocks and Seven Rams Seven Priests sounding Trumpets went Seven times round about Iericho and on the Seventh day the Walls thereof fell down Just so many Priests sounded with Trumpets before the Ark and an equal number of Bulls and Rams were offer'd in Sacrifice Ezechias also offer'd Seven Bulls Seven Rams Seven Lambs and Seven Hee-goats 2 Chron. 29. 21. In Ezechiel 39. 9. Arms and Weapons are commanded to be burnt with fire Seven years and the Land purged in Seven months and Chapt. 43. 25. the Altar is in Seven days expiated Daniel numbers the times by Hebdomadas In the Apocalyps the Book is seal'd with Seven Seals the Lamb hath Seven horns Seven Eyes which are the Seven spirits of God and to the Seven Angels are given Seven Trumpets and Seven Phials In a Word in Mysteries this Number as the most perfect hath always been preferr'd to all other But the most celebrated and to our present enquiry the most pertinent is the Septenary Cycle or round of days or the Seventh day in the weekly periods of days perpetually recurrent such as is the Sabbath of the Iews The Aegyptians the most ancient computers of times are reported by Authors of good Credit to have deriv'd the weekly Circle of days from the number of the Planets and to have propagated that account of time together with their Astrological Discipline For Herodotus recounting the noble Inventions of that mighty Nation saith in Lib. 2. c. 82. Alia etiam ab Egyptiis inventa sunt quis Mensis quis Dies cujusque sit Deorum quo quis die genitus qualia sortietur quam mortem obiet qualis existet Quibus rebus usi sunt ii qui è Graecis in poesi versabantur Where Dies Deorum are the days of the Week denominate from the VII Planets for in the Genethliac Art of the Egyptians they obtain the name of Gods and every Planet hath his peculiar Holy-day assign'd to him and therefore Dio Cassius the Greek Historian lib. 36. pag. 37. said truly Quòd verò dies assignantur Septem Planetis id certè inventum est Egyptiorum But in the denomination of the Seven days they have not observed the order of the Planets that is in the series of the coelestial Orbs. Whereof various Writers have excogitated various causes Of all these the reason given by our Venerable Bede seems to be the most simple and therefore the best The Gentiles saith he de Tempor ratione cap. 6. though that they by good right consecrated the first day to the Sun because it is the greatest Luminary the second to the Moon because it is the second Luminary Then by an ordinate alternation they made the first Planet from the Sun Mars president of the third day the first from the Moon Mercury Lord of the fourth the second from the Sun Iupiter ruler of the fifth the Second from the Moon Venus Lady of the sixth and the third from the Sun Saturn governour of the Seventh Now because this Saturn was by Astrologers imagined to be a sad ill-natur'd and malignant planet therefore the Seventh day in which he ruled hath been accounted a black and unlucky day forsooth and unfit for business and the performing of any work and so set apart for leisure and rest Nor have Orpheus and Hesiod doubted to propagate this precarious and superstitious Doctrine To which Tacitus writing of the Jews seems to have respect in these lines Septimo die otium placuisse ferunt quia is finem Laborum tulerit Alii honorem eum Saturno haberi seu quòd è septem sideribus queis mortales reguntur altissimo orbe praecipuâ potentiâ stella Saturni feratur ac pleraque coelestium vim suam cursum per septenos numeros conficiant But whatever was the reason that induced the Egyptians to assign the Seventh day to Saturn we have none to doubt but that this Planetary denomination of the days though not received into use by the Grecians till many Ages after is originally of remotest antiquity equal to that of Astrology it self and to the age of Mercury the first who taught the Egyptians the art of computing the year and times For beside the auctority of Herodotus and Dio Cassius above-cited we have that of Plato also who in Phaedro introduces Socrates speaking of the Egyptian Theuth i. e. Mercury these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is That he first invented numbers and computation and Geometry and Astronomy and the Games of Cockle-blanck and Dice Nor are there wanting some of the Rabbins themselves who have granted that this denomination of the days was in use among the Gentiles before the Decalogue was given And Chaeremon in Porphyry de Abstinentia affirms that the Egyptian Priests in their purifications observ'd the Seventh days We may therefore acquiesce in this persuasion that the weekly Cycle of days was taken from Mathematick discipline and from the most secret treasury of Egyptian Antiquity but that the sacred observation of every Seventh day and the Feast of the Hebdomadical Sabbath constituted by this Mosaic Law in memory of the Egyptian servitude was now first receiv'd into the Religion of the Hebrews as also that this their Sabbath was by the miracle of Manna ceasing to rain down upon that day fixt upon the true Seventh day from the Creation which God had from the beginning sanctified Nor is it to be doubted but that this Precept of keeping holy the Sabbath day was peculiar to the Israelites For God himself was pleased to say Exod.