CHAP. I. The Division of the Text. The Artificial Day.

THe Lord God, who made Heaven and Earth, and all for the good of man, made man for his own honour, in his own Image, and to bear his Image in the world to his glory, done by the due observation of the Moral Law, whereof this fourth Commandement is a part; in which God maketh known unto man the special time and day which he hath destinated unto his worship, com­manding man to sanctifie the same, and keep it holy to the Lord.

In this text are these two parts.

• First, the duty commanded, which is to keep holy the Sab­bath-day.
• [Page 2]Secondly, the care and provision had by the Lord, for mans heedful keeping and observing the same, in all the other words and branches of this Commandement.

I will first treat of the duty commanded, and in it for our bet­ter observing the Sabbath-day, we are to know

• First, what the Sabbath-day is that is here commanded to be sanctified.
• Secondly, what it is to sanctifie the same, or to keep it holy.

Touching the former of these we are to know

• First, what kinde of day the Sabbath is to be.
• Secondly, what day it is to be in order or tale.

Concerning the former of these. There be foure kindes of dayes which we shall meet with in holy Scripture.

• 1. The Artificial day.
• 2. The Universal day.
• 3. The Horizontal day.
• 4. The Meridional day.

These termes or appellations I confesse are not common; but the use of them is needful, for the better distinguishing them one from the other; whereby it may the better appear which of these kindes of days the Sabbath-day ought to be. And now I will

• 1. Shew what every of them is.
• 2. How they differ the one from the other.
• 3. Which of these kindes of days man is to observe and keep for his Sabbath.

CHAP. II. The Vniversal day. The dayes of the Creation. Why Moses set the Evening before the Morning.

THe Ʋniversal day is, that which is one, and the same day in all places through the whole Universe; as well in re­spect of its beginning, as of its duration, and ending. It is not one day at one part of the earth, and another day at another part; but when it beginneth or endeth any where, it begin­neth or endeth every where at the same time.

This kinde of Day cannot properly be said to begin either in the East or in the West, or at Sun-rising, or at Sun setting, or at Midnight, or at Noon, as other kinde of dayes do. For there is neither East nor West, nor Sun-rising nor Sun-setting; nor midnight nor noon in respect of the world; though in re­spect of the parts of the world, all and every of these may be said to be; yet so as what is East or morning to one part, is West or Sun-setting to another part; and midnight to one part is midday to another part; but neither of them properly can be so said to be the whole world. Such kinde of dayes were those which Moses spake of in the first of Genesis. Gen. 1.5, 8, 13, 19 23.31. And of which mention is made in this text and elsewhere Ex. 20.11. and 31.17. Acts 2.20. Rev. 6.17. 2 Pet. 2.9. and 3.7, 10. Ioel. 2.31.. In six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth, &c. and rested the seventh day.

That these dayes (which some do terme, and fitly enough may be called The dayes of the Creation) were such Universal dayes, I will endeavour to clear, by giving instances in every of them which Moses spake of, in rehearsing the Works of the Creation.

The first of those seven dayes was such an Universal day, when it began any where, it began every where; no where then was it no day, nor any other then the first day.

The first things God made were day and night: or light and darknesse. They were neither of them in time before the other, but were both coëtaneous.

There was in nature before, though not in time, a mixed or confused darknesse, which Moses called [...], Gen. 1.2. which Arias Montanus, correcting Pagnin, translateth and calleth it Ca­ligo; it was neither perfect day nor perfect night.

But when God had thence formed the light, and made it to shine out of the darknesse 2 Cor. 4.6., and had divided the light from the darknesse, so as that they should never be both in one Hemis­phere, but succeed in order each other, which is called Gods Covenant of the day and of the night Ier. 33.20.. God then called that light so divided Day, and that darknesse so divided, called by Moses emphatically [...], God called night Gen. 1.4, 5.; the full Revolution of both which was the first day; in this division of the light and darknesse, or day and night, though the night was before the day in one Hemisphere, and the day before the night in the other; yet in respect of the whole Universe, nei­ther of them was before the other in time. When the first day began somewhere when it was night at the same time that first day began some otherwhere when it was day-light; every where did the first day begin at the same time.

The second day & the third day in like maner were universal days. When God stretchd out the firmament on the second day, it was every where then the second day. On the next day also, whersoever God the Universal Worker did his work, through­out the whole round, in gathering together the waters, making the seas and dry land, there every where was it the third day. And after that every where was it the same third day, where [Page 5]God made the earth to bring forth grasse, and herbes, and fruit-trees Gen. 1.11, 12, 13., no where was it then either the second or fourth day.

The fourth day in which the Sunne, Moone and Starres were made, was an Universal day. When it was the fourth day any where, it was the fourth every where. It is not revealed in what part of the fourth day those lights of heaven were made; but most certain is it, that when the Sunne first appear­ed to the world on that day, it was over some part of the earth at that time, making it to be noone there, and in all pla­ces in that Hemisphere, which were in the same Meridian with the Sunne. And that in many places ninety degrees East from thence it was Sun-setting; and in as many places ninety degrees West from thence, it was then at the same time Sun-rising. Al­so that in the other Hemisphere to which the Moon or Stars ap­peared, it was then night, and midnight there in those places that were in the same Meridian with the Sunne. So that al­though on that fourth day Sun-setting was before Sun-rising in some places, and Sun-rising before Sun-setting in some o­ther places; and in some places noone was before either of the other; and in some other places mid-night was before them all; yet in respect of the whole earth not one of them was on that fourth day before the other: But at the Sunnes first appearing, and shining over half the earth, it was at that very instant the fourth day, as well where it was Sun-setting, or Sun­rising, as where it was noone: and likewise it was then the fourth day also in the other part of the earth to which the Moone, or Starres first appeared; For neither the Sun, Moone or Starres appeared to any place on the third day, which was the day before they were made, and the fifth day was not then begun.

The like I say for the fifth day, and for the sixth day; when God made fish and fowle on the fifth day; or when he made Adam the last of his creatures on the sixth day, it was then after Sun-setting in some places, and before Sun-rising in some other places; and it was then noone in some places, and mid-night in some other places, yet all on the same day.

The like I say also for the seventh day, the day of Gods rest: [Page 6]When God rested from all his works that he had made, it was no where then the sixth day, but every where the seventh day. The day of Gods rest began in some places at Sun-rising, in some places at Sun-setting, and in some at noone, and in other some at mid-night in the same day. For so was it on the fourth day when the Sunne first appeared, and so when it was halfe ended; and so likewise when it was fully ended; and therefore so was it when the fifth, sixth or seventh day began, or ended. It is not revealed, and therefore no man can know, what, or where in the earth those places are, where it was Sun-rising, or Sun setting, or noone, or mid-night, either when the Sun first shined forth to the world, or when halfe of that fourth day was ended, or when it was fully ended; and therefore no man can tell, nor possibly can any finde out, whe­ther here in England, (or in any other particular place or Coun­trey) it was Sun-setting or Sun-rising, noone or mid-night, day-light or night, when the fifth, sixth or seventh day, the day of Gods rest began, and yet at the beginning of that seventh day it was either of these somewhere or other.

Quest. But some may say, why then did Moses, rehearsing every of the six dayes work of the Creation, set the evening before the morning, so if the evening was not before the morn­ing?

Answ. I answer, Moses naming the evening in order be­fore the morning in the first of Genesis Gen. 1.5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31., doth not thereby make either of them to be in time before the other; one he was to name first; and the reasons why he named the evening before the morning, may be these.

First, for that after the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt, (and I suppose this History to be written after that) their year, their moneths, and the dayes of their week were all changed in respect of their beginnings and endings; so that whereas they began their dayes with the morning; thenceforth they constantly began their week-dayes with the evening Sec chap. 3.; as I shall shew more at large in the next Chapter. If Moses now should have set the morning before the evening, he might have seem­ed to dislike this their new custome of beginning their dayes of the week with the evening, for which he had direction from the Lord God.

Secondly, or else it may be for that they, (who were best skild in dividing, and distinguishing of time, as were Astrono­mers; such as doubtlesse Moses was, who was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians Acts 7.22.) began the day at noone, making the evening, that is, all the time from noone to midnight to be the former part of the day; and the evening, that is all the time from mid-night to noone to be the latter part; as I will more fully shew in the fourth Chapter See cap. 4..

CHAP. III. The Horizontal day. What the parts of the Horizontal day are: And which part is the former.

THe Horizontalday with any Nation, is that space of time in which the Sunne is in going from their Horizon at its rising, untill it cometh again into their Horizon at its next ri­sing: or from their Horizon at its setting, untill 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 of in Genesis Gen. 1.5, 14, 16. and 8.22. and 31.39., the other part is the night or darknesse, called by Clav. de Sphoer. Clavius the Arti­ficial night; and which in ancient times was divided with the Jewes into three watches: the evening watch, the middle watch, and the morning watch; but after that when they were subdued by the Romanes, they divided the night as the Ro­manes did into four watches.

The Artificial day, or day-light was anciently 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 [Page 8]out of Egypt Gen. 1.16, 18. an 8.22, and 7, 4, 12.39.39, 40.; yea and commonly, afterwards too Lev. 8.35. Ex. 13.21, 22. Numb. 9.21., though they had the beginning of their dayes 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, this same night Gen. 19.34. and 26.24. 1 Chron. 17.3. Numb. 11.32 Ios. 4.3. Iudg. 6.25. and 79., 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 dayes of labour. Their yeare also had thence­forth a new beginning. They must not begin their year in Tisri as they did before, but with that moneth in which they had their freedome. This moneth shall be unto you the beginning of moneths Exod 12.2.. This moneth called by the Hebrewes Abib Exod. 13.4. and 23.15. Deut. 16.1., and by the Chaldeans Nisan Esth 147., (which consisted partly of our March, and partly of April, being with them the moneth after the Vernal Equinoctial,) was their first moneth 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 yeare, and a new moneth, and a new day, to begin their year withal. No otherwise then if the day of [Page 9]their deliverance had been their birth-day; for their deliverance was a kinde of a new birth unto them: The beginning of the yeare was then changed, for the greater lustre unto the birth of the Church, saith Calvin. And a new time of the day had they to begin their first day of the yeare, (for their Caput anni, or New-yeares day was a sacred day with them) they began it at even at the going down of the Sunne, 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 Passeover. So that although in respect of their Civil affairs they began their yeare, their moneths and their dayes as they did before, yet in this their New, Ecclesi­astical, or Sacred yeare, or Computation of time, they began their day at Even. All their Sabbath-days, and all other their sa­cred dayes, and so all their week-dayes, for measuring out un­to them their sacred dayes 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 Miridional day is the time from midnight to midnight, 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 mid­night, until it come into that part of their Meridian again at their next midnight; Or else from their Meridian at noon, un­til 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 that time in which the Sun is in its rising, until it come unto its greatest height: that is, all the time be­tween midnight and noon is the morning.

And the Evening is all the time the Sun is in its descending, [Page 10]that is, all the time between noon and midnight.

Thus Christians generally now do, & 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, foure, six, nine or eleven of the Clock, it was commonly called by the name of Mattins, 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 ancient 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. Ier. 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 Magdalene's coming to the Sepulchre was before day, [...]. that is, the darknesse or night yet in being Iohn 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 kinde 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 midnight 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 midnight, 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 Romanes, and accordingly so did Christians begin the day from midnight. Aegyptii & Sacerdotes Romani à media nocte in alteram mediam noctem numerabant diem, quae consuetudo adhuc in Ecclesia Romana permansit, saith Clavius Clav. in Sphae­ra Jo. de sacro Bos. ubi de offi­ciis Meridian. In like manner did the Jewes begin the day with them in their ordinary & common account of time, making the morn­ing to be the former part of the day; though the Jewes from their coming out of Egypt began all their sacred dayes or Sab­baths [Page 11]from the time of the setting of the Sun See chap. 3., and also the dayes serving to mete out to them their sacred dayes Exod. 13.6, 7. Lev. 23.5, 6. Ex. 12.18, 19 Deut. 16.4., all which were Sabbatical dayes, and called by the Jewes, The first day of the Sabbath, the second day of the Sabbath, &c. for thus they called the dayes 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 moneth, 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 eate the Passeover Exod. 12.8., and in that night be­fore the morrow, they burned what of the Passeover they are notExod. 12.10., and not one after that till midnight was past, and the morrow come, was to go out of the door of his house Exod. 12.22.. At midnight all the first­born in Egypt were slain Exod. 12.29.. But the next day, that is, after mid­night, 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 Passeover, and were not to stir out of doors till the morn­ing, was part of the fourteenth day, and that the time after midnight, in which they were urged to haste away, and in which they went abroad out of doors to provide their cattel, to consult about their journey, and their going from Rameses, was on the fifteenth day. They ate the Passe­over 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 Passeover with his disciples, was the fourteenth day of the moneth: on the same day Christs disciples asked him, where they should provide and prepare for him to eat the Passeover, and on the same day Peter denied his Master, and the Cock crew Mar. 14.30. Luke 22.34. I say, the Question demanded of Christ by his disciples, the killing [Page 12]the Paschal Lambe, the eating the Passeover, Peters denying this Master, and the Cocks crowing, were all done on one and the same day of the moneth; though the eating the Passe­over, 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 ancient 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 Jo. de sacr. Bosc. in libello de Computo Ec­clesiastice.. 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 then 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. Iob 11.17, 5.14. Psal. 37.6. Isa. 59.10. Amos 8.9. lustre, strength and glory: making it to be Sun-rising, ninety degrees from it westward; 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 unto Paradise first, then 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 chap. 2.. And then it is likely that God made the living creature after his kinde, 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 unlesse there be better proofs given then probabilities, we should not conceive the dayes of the Creation, either the fourth, sixth or seventh, to begin in Pa­radise rather at noon then at midnight, Sun-rising or at Sun­setting. Yet sure it is more then probable, that Moses would [Page 13]have the evening to begin at noon. What else could he mean by the two Evenings, which he in divers places mentioneth Exod. 29.39. Numb. 28.4, 8., if he meant not thereby the time between noon and Sun-set­ting, viz. the time between the evening of the day in common use with the Jewes which began at noon, and the evening of the day in their sacred account, which began at Sun-setting, as I shewed before See chap. 2.. On the fourteenth day of Abib, they were commanded, even the whole Assembly, to kill the Paschal Lambe between the two evenings Exod. 12.6., as it is according to the He­brew text; and to eat the same at the beginning of their sa­cred day of the Passeeover, which began at Sun-setting Deut. 16.6. Luke 22.14.. Their taking the Lamb, killing, skinning, and making it coole and fit for roasting; yea the roasting it, and preparing it with herbs for the table, al was to be done between the two evenings before the setting of the Sun. The killing their Passeover (ve­ry likely) was about that very time of the day when Christ our Passeover was slain, which was between the two evenings; The former of the two evenings mentioned by Moses Exod. 12.6., began at noon, at the beginning of the seventh houre of the day with the Jewes.

So Lyranus, According to the Hebrew Doctors, the Evening here mentioned, beginneth from the seventh houre, for at that time the Sun beginneth to incline toward the West Lyra. on Ex. 12.6.. The seventh houre with the Jewes ever began at noon, as their first houre began at Sun-rising. Masius Masius on Iosh. 5. on Joshua confirmeth the same also. But if any doubt hereof, let him look only in Buxtorfius his Lexicon Buxtor. lex. edit. Basil. An. 1645., at the word [...], where he makes it cleare that [...], Between the two evenings, which was the time for killing the Paschal Lambe, mentioned in the 12. of Exodus, had its beginning from noon at the end of the sixth houre, or beginning of the seventh, proving the same also out of learned Authors, as well Rabbines as others.

CHAP. V. Of the difference between those foure kindes of dayes.

HAving shewed what all and every of those foure kindes of dayes are. I will now shew how they differ from each other.

First, the Artificial day differeth from all the other three, in that it hath only day-light and no night, but endeth at Sun­setting, whereas the other have night as well as day-light.

Secondly, the Universal day differeth from horizontal dayes and meridional dayes in two respects.

1. The Universal day is constant and unalterable; it cannot be made longer or shorter by all the wit and industry man can use, much lesse may a day thereof be gotten or lost by mans indeavour. But week-dayes with all People whether they be Horizontal or Meridional dayes, may be either leng­thened by travelling Westward, or shortened by travelling East, yea a whole day may thereby be either gotten or lost, and so he that was the first-born may become the younger bro­ther; as in the Law-Case between John and Johannes, I will not affirm the story to be true, but it will serve to illustrate the truth of what I before said, and let it be taken as I had it.

William Douse of Portingh had by his wife Hellen two sonnes at one birth, within one houre, and either of them was named John, but for distinctions sake, the father and others called the younger Johannes. When they came to be five and twenty years of age, John the elder obtained moneys and leave of his father to travel with Sir Francis Drake, when he made his voy­age round the world. Johannes lived at home with his aged father, his mother being dead; but did so mis-behave him­self toward his father, that the old man, by his continual vex­ation became so weak and faint, that he despaired of life; yet before he died he heard that his son John was returned in­to England safe with Sir Francis Drake: whereupon he cau­sed his Will to be altered and new written, wherein he gave [Page 15]all his goods and chattels to John his elder sonne; saving on­ly ten pounds, which he gave to John his younger sonne, and shortly after died. When John had heard of his fathers death, he hasted home; but before his coming, Johannes had in pos­session, and disposed of all his fathers goods and chattels left. Of all which Iohn at his coming home demanded the posses­sion, to whom Iohannes tendred only ten pounds, telling him that was all which his father gave him, and therewithal gave him a Copy of his fathers Will; telling him also that he by his travel had lost a day of his age, and that he himself was Iohn the elder, when his father made his last Will, and being pos­sessed of the goods he meant to keep them. Iohn seeing his bro­thers resolution would not finger the ten pounds, but took the Copy of the Will, and hasted to Plowden, commonly called Ployden, the Lawyer; to him he opened his Case, and shewed the Copy of the Will, craving his Counsel, Ployden having perused the Will, demanded of Iohn who was first-born, that was I, quoth Iohn, and my brother doth and will acknowledge that. Why then your Case is good and sure, and the goods are all undoubtedly yours, quoth Ployden, but yet tell me un­der what pretence doth your brother claim and detain them? Why, quoth Iohn, he saith, that by my voyage that I made with Sir Francis Drake round about the world I lost a day of my age, and so he at the making of the Will was the elder, and so layeth claim to all. Sir Francis Drake, quoth Ployden, did take such a voyage indeed, but did you travel the whole Circuit with him? It is true, quoth Iohn, I did. Nay then the case is altered, quoth Ployden, and you have lost a day of your age indeed. You be Iohn Primogenitus, but your brother is Iohn Senior. This is strange, quoth Iohn, we kept a most exact account of every dayes journey till we came home. Can you shew when or where we should lose a day? You lost not your day, quoth Ployden, at any one longitude, nor at one time, but by little and little. Answer me one question, quoth Ployden, and thereby you shall make this clear your self. It is a Problem that Plutarch hath, and now is common in use. The ship Ar­gos, in which Iason sailed for the golden fleece, when the voy­age was ended, was laid up in the Road for a monument: [Page 16]where decaying by little and little, they alwayes pieced it anew where it wore away; till in the end the whole substance of the old vessel was gone, and nothing remained thereof, but only the figure, which every where was answerable to that of the old. Now tell me whether this ship was the very same in which Iason sailed, or another diverse from it? and if another, when was it changed? Sure, quoth Iohn, it could not be the same ship, and it was altered by little and little, and at no time wholly altered till at the last. Just so, quoth Ployden, may I say for the day you have lost, you lost it not all at one time, but by little & little. Every degree that you went westward, you pieced your day, and made it the three hundred and sixtieth part of a day longer then it was, but therewithal you losed the three hundred and sixtieth part of your day in tale; you must look to lose one way if you gain another way. In your travel of the whole round, which is three hundred and sixty degrees, you gained a whole day in the length of your dayes, but you have lost thereby a whole day in tale. For tell me, when it was Sunday here at your coming home, what day was it then with you? Indeed, quoth Iohn, it was but Saturday with us, and I wondred much, why we in the count of the dayes of our week came still a day short of what they counted here. But I pray tell me what counsel you will give me in the case between me and my brother? why, quoth Ployden, be ruled by me and feare not: make one voyage more, and go back the same way that you came, and you shall certainly finde again the day which you lost, and then come to me and I will warrant your Case. Though now I approve not Ploydens judgement in eve­ry point, yet I say, what he told Iohn of the lengthening his dayes, and losing a day in tale at his return, whereby he had not lived so many week-dayes as his brother Iohannes had by a day, is very true, whether he counted the week by Horizon­tal or by Meridional days. But yet Iohn lived as many Universal days as did his brother and losed not one hour, or minute of an houre of the Vniversal day; it could neither be lengthened or shortened by continual travel. When the Sun came to that Meridian, in which it was, when it began the fifth, sixth or se­venth day, at the first Creation, then did the Vniversal day [Page 17]end, and the next began both with Iohn and with his brother, though they were half the Compasse of the earth distant from each other.

2. Week-dayes, whether they be Horizontal or Meridi­onal, cannot be the same in all places; much lesse can their parts or houres be the same. But the Universal day is not only the same day in all places, but every part or houre of that day is without any variation, the same every where

The last day in which Christ shall come to judge the world, which must needs be on two week-dayes with People, if it be on Sunday with some, it will be on Saterday or Munday with some others; and on different times also of the week-day, if it shall be at midnight with some, (not only mid-night of securi­ty Mat. 25.6, 13 24.39, 50., but in respect of the week-day) it will be at noon with some others, &c. Yet will it be on one and the same Univer­sal day, therefore every where in holy Scripture that time is called a day Iohn 6.39.40, 54.11.24. Acts 2.20. Mat. 10.15., not dayes. It shall not be on one day here, and on another day elsewhere, but on one and the same day. It wil be a general day of judgement; not only in respect of all con­ditions of men, but also of all places, they shal be gather'd from the foure windes Mar. 13.27., from all quarters of the world. Yea his co­ming shall then be not only on one and the same Vniversal or general day, but on one and the same houre of that day in re­spect of all People. In an houre of that day the trumpet shall sound Mat. 24.36. 1 Thes. 4.16., then all in all places shall heare the voice thereof at that same moment, even at the twinkling of an eye 1 Cor. 1 [...].52.. In vaine shall the plea of any be, alledging that it is Tuesday then with some people, and it is but Munday with us: O let us tarry till Tuesday too: or that it is but one of the Clock with us, and it is three or more with others, and therefore too soon for them. No, for their account of the day will not serve the turn. All shall finde that houre to be a general houre, of a general or Universal day, that is, not sooner in one place then in an­other.

CHAP. VI. The difference between Horizontal and Meridional dayes.

THere is not a little difference between the Meridional and the Horizontal day, as may appear by what hath been before said.

First they differ in length and duration, for the Meridional day, whereby the Jewes counted the dayes of their moneths, and we the dayes of our weeks and moneths, is in time foure and twenty houres without any sensible difference. But the Ho­rizontal day, by which the Jewes count the dayes of their weeks, from Sun-setting to Sun-setting, (or from Sun-rising to Sun-rising, by which some other have counted the dayes of their week) is sometimes in some places near five and twenty houres; and at some other time in the same places, it will be but about three and twenty houres in length.

When I say the Horizontal day is the time between Sun-set­ting and Sun-setting; or between Sun-rising and Sun-rising; I mean so in all places in and between the temperate zones; and not in places near either of the Poles, where it is continual day­light for many dayes together. From Sun-setting to Sun-set­ting, in those places cannot properly be termed a day, having in it many revolutions of the Sun, never was it in use with any People, to mete out unto them their week, moneth, year or age. Men living in such places measure out their weeks and moneths by Meridional dayes as we do. Neither is there any mention made of such dayes any where in sacred Scripture, and it is of such kinde of dayes as are there mentioned, which I promised to speak of See chap. 1..

Secondly, they differ much in respect of their beginning and ending. Here in York and other places of England, there is sometimes five, sometimes eight, and never so little as three houres difference between their beginnings; and the like be­tween their endings. Whence it must follow, that every of the week-dayes with the Jewes, consisted partly of two dayes of [Page 19]their moneth: and that every day of the moneth with them, consisted partly of two of their week-dayes; the dayes of their moneth being meridional, and their dayes of the week Hori­zontal dayes, as I said before.

The knowledge hereof is very useful for the reconciling di­vers places, and resolving divers doubts in the sacred Scri­pture, about the Jewes customes in observing their feasts, as for instance, if it be demanded,

1. Whether the Israelites ate the Passeover in Egypt, and came out of Egypt, from Rameses on one and the same day; Sith it is said, that on the fourteenth day at Even they ate the Passeover Exod. 12.8., but it was the next day, being the morrow after, viz. the fifteenth day when they came from Rameses Num. 33.3.?

Or whether our Saviour Christ ate the Passeover with his dis­ciples, and after that suffered death on the Crosse on one and the same day; Sith it was the fourteenth day at Even when he ate the Passeover, 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 Crosse?

The answer to both these are the same. It was on one and the same day of their week, but not of their moneth: for it was on the fourteenth day of Abib on which the Israelites ate the Passeover in Egypt, but their going out of Egypt from Rameses was on the fifteenth day. So also Christ are the Passeover with his disciples on the fourteenth day of the first moneth, according to the law of the Passeover; but he was crucified on the next day, which was the fifteenth day. In the fourteenth day of the first moneth at Even is the Lords Passeover, and on the fifteenth day of the same moneth is the Feast Numb. 28.16, 17. Lev. 23.5, 6. Yet both in one and the same day of their week, for the dayes of their week, ever after their freedom from slavery, were as I shewed before, Horizontal dayes; every of which began at the Sun­setting of the former day, at the time they ate the Passeover in Egypt, so they were commanded to begin their Sabbath­dayes Lev. 23.32., and therefore so also did they begin the dayes of their week called the Sabbath, for meting out to them their Sab­bath-dayes. And herein the Romanists do not a little Judaize, [Page 20]who continued the like custome of beginning all their sacred dayes, as Lyranus tells us, In diem feriam, viz. decimam quar­tam, &c. On the fourteenth day of the moneth, in the Even where­of the Lamb was sacrificed, and the solemnity of the Passeover be­gan, which was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the moneth. Ac­cording to which custome the solemnities of our Church do begin with the evening of the day before going Lyra. Postil. in Joan. 13. Christ with the dis­ciples ate the Passeover, and was crucified also on one and the same week-day, which was the sixth day of the week with the Iewes: which consisted partly of our Thursday, and part­ly of our Friday: as their Sabbath-day consisted partly of our Friday, and partly of our Saterday.

2. If it be demanded, Whether the demand made by the dis­ciples, where they should prepare the Passeover, and their killing the Paschal Lambe, and their eating the Passeover, 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 moneth, but not in the same day of their week. The disciples demand, the killing and preparing the Passeover 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 moneth, 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 eate the Passeover; 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 til the time of eating the Passeover?

The answer is as before: The first day of the week of un­leavened bread was not then begun, but the first day of the moneth of unleavened bread was begun long before. Though there was just one week or seven dayes of unleavened bread: yet were there eight dayes of the moneth of unleavened bread: On the fourteenth day of the first moneth, they were commanded to eat unleavened bread, and so to the one and twentieth day at even Ex. 12.18.. From the Even of the one to the [Page 21]Even of the other, was just a week or seven dayes: but sith they began to eat unleavened bread on the fourteenth day, according to the Commandment, that fourteenth day of the moneth was properly their first day of unleavened bread: and the one and twentieth was the eigth 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 Iohn 13 Iohn 13.1.. that Christ ate not the Passeover on the feast-day of the Passeover, but on the day beforegoing. And many more such like questions and doubts may hereby be resolved.

CHAP. VII. What kinde 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, w^ch 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 dayes of the week allowed for labour, every of which hath a night or darknesse as well as day-light: and in which night men may as lawfully labour as in the day-light. Ioseph and Mary fled by night Mat. 2.14.. The disciples of Christ rowed by night, and in the fourth watch of the night Iesus 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 wilde beasts, that their chiefest care over their flocks is by night. Iacobs spe­cial care over Labans flock was such Gen. 31.40. And when Christ was borne, an Angel brought the glad tidings thereof to the Shepherds by night as they were watching their flocks Luke 2.8.. If the six dayes of labour which God alloweth man be such as have nights as wel as day-lights, then such ought the Sabbath­day of the Lord to be also.

Neither is the 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, [Page 22]for men to keep the same, and that for these two reasons.

First, it is unpossible for any man to know within halfe a year, what time of the year it is with us when the first yeare 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 moneth 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 25. 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 first day of the Creation. All the art and indeavour of man is not sufficient to find out whether the first day of the Creation was Sunday, or Satcrday, or Munday, &c. and there­fore not whether the day of Gods rest was Thursday, Friday, Saterday, &c.

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 his beginning on Saterday; No man can for all that tell within eleven houres at what time of the Sunday the first day of the Creation, or at what time of the Saterday the day of Gods rest began either here, or in Virginea, or in Rome, Ierusalem, Paradise, or in any other place whatsoever, whether it was at Sun-rising, Sun-setting, Noone, or at the houre 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 [Page 23]Gods rest began in Paradise on Saterday, 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 Saterday 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 fore­noon, and we know that it was then Saterday in Virginea in the afternoon, but no man can knowingly say that the day of Gods rest beginneth on the Saterday, 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, be 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. Heylyn hath even demonstrated the same, that men could not possibly have kept one and the same day for their Sabbath had it been commanded Heyl. part. 1. pag. 45, 46, 47, 48.. And further sheweth, that the Iewes themselves kept not the very day of Gods rest Page 125., though they had one day in seven set apart for ho­ly rest and meditation. Mr. Ironside also Irons. chaf. 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 Iewes, in the East-parts and West­parts too of Iudea, 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 dayes 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 Dr. Francis White, in his of the Sabbath Page 175., and divers others. Wherefore [Page 24]sith the universal day, such as was the day of Gods rest, can­not be possibly kept by all Gods people, no more then 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 kinde 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 wil­dernesse 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 dayes are now, or at any other time heretofore have been in use with men, for measuring out unto them their seven dayes or week: and such as are their six dayes of the week for labour, such ought the seventh day, even the day for holy rest to be also. The Sabbath-day with the Iewes 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 dayes, 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 dayes, but they do and have counted their weeks by Meridional dayes. And so do all Christians generally, of what longitude or latitude of the earth soever they are of, mete out their weeks by Meridional dayes, 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 shown what day in tale is to be the Lords day, or Sabbath of the Lord, and this the Law-giver him­selfe [Page 25]hath plainly pointed out unto us in this law, to be the day following the six dayes 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 dayes 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 dayes 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 dayes for our selves, reserving only the seventh for himself, much lesse ought we to make it the fifth, or the nineth or tenth, or any other then the seventh day. Our weeks are not to consist of more or lesse then seven dayes, the last day whereof is the Lords day.

Some call this day the standing day of the week for Gods worship, some the Lords day, some the Sabbath of the Lord, some the seventh day of the week, and in this law it is set out to be the day after our six dayes of labour. Though these ap­pellations do much differ in letter, sound and phrase, yet they all signifie the same thing; it cannot be the seventh day of the week, but it will also be the day after our six known dayes of labour, and the standing day of the week for Gods wor­ship: this is the Lords day, or the Sabbath of the Lord, or to the Lord: and this is not only a seventh day of the week, as all and every other of the week-dayes are, but it is the seventh day of the week [...].

There is not appointed from the Lord by this law any set time, whence men should begin their week or sevening, for to finde the Lords day: so that no People, Jew or Gentile are ti­ed by this Commandment, directly to keep their Sabbath, pre­cisely on such or such a day; or to begin their Sabbath at any [Page 26]set particular time; as from midnight, or from Sun-rising, noon or Sun-setting.

God separated the tenth of grapes, of lambes, of corn, &c to the use of the Priests and Levites. As the seventh day is in this Commandment said to be the Lords, and sanctified by the Lord, so were those tenths said to be the Lords, and sanctified or holy to the Lord. But it cannot there be meant of the very tenth Lambe that fell in order from the Damme, or of the tenth eare of corn, or of the tenth cluster of grapes, first ap­pearing or grown ripe; this was too too difficult for to finde out; but of the tenth in proportion successively, according to the customary manner of their tithing in the places where they lived. No more can it be meant here of the seventh day from the first beginning of the Creation, which cannot be found out, nor from any particular time set by the Lord, but the se­venth day in proportion successively, according as any Nation or people do customarily begin their week, in what longitude of the earth soever they do inhabit: that seventh day by the expresse words of this law is the Lords day, or Sabbath-day to or for the Lord, not of the Lord in that sense which some take it, as if it were the very day of Gods rest, but the 7th day unto the Lord, that is, sacred or holy to or for the Lord: so do the very words of the text import, [...], On the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord, so also in the Sep­tuagint, [...], hereto doth the Chaldee Paraphrase accord; Die autem septimo Sabbatum est coram Domino; And on the seventh day is the Sabbath before the Lord. Also Jun. and Tremel. Dies verò septimus Sabbatum est Iehovae. But the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord. The sense then and meaning of these words of this Commandment, The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, is this: The se­venth day of the week, or the day following the six dayes here allowed man for labour, is the Lords day, or is sacred to the Lord thy God. As we say in tithing of corne, wheresoever men by agreement do begin to tithe, that nine cocks or stacks of corn are the Farmers, but the tenth is the Parsons, or is due to the Parson: So in sevening out our dayes, at what time so­ever, according to mens custome they begin their week or [Page 27]sevening; six days are ours but the seventh day is the Lords, it is his due, and not our own. God hath not bound men by this law to any set time, when to begin their week, either at the Sun-setting as the Jews began their week; or at midnight as Christians begin theirs, or at any other set time, but in every Nation, however they begin their week, the seventh day there­of is the Lords.

It is true, that the Jewes had a set time when they should begin their week or sevening; and so had a set and peculiar time or day on which they were to keep their Sabbath: but this they were not bound unto by this law. That Saterday was their seventh or sacred day, and that it began at Sun-setting, rather then at another time, was not by any expresse out of this Commandment, but accidentally: that thereby they might be the better taken off from the Assyrians idolatry, where­with they and generally most Nations, were deeply infected; of which I will speak more particularly in the next Chapter.

CHAP. IX. The Assyrians idolatrie. All Nations worshipped the Sun.

THe Assyrians idolatrie, wherewith Egypt, the Israelites, and generally other Nations were infected, was both the worshipping of Baal, & the adoring of the Host of heaven. The one was a man deified and worshipped; the other were the Starres, viz. the Sun, Moone, and the rest of the Planets The other stars were ho­noured but as subservient un­to these., whom they magnified and adored as gods and governours of the world,

Concerning Baal, and how he came to be worshipped, we shall thus finde in Histories and ancient Chronologies.

Nimrod that mighty Hunter before the Lord, being a great and strong Giant, began to suppresse and tyrannize over o­thers, bringing others in Shinar under him, and he ruled as King over them. The beginning of his Kingdome was Babel, [Page 28]wherefore he was called Saturnus Babylonicus. For the most ancient Kings, and first founders of a Realme or People they called by the name of Saturne, and his eldest son or heire by the name of Jupiter: and his daughters were called Junoes Guevar. Epist.. Thus they cal'd his father Cush, Gush Saturnus Aethiops; for that Aethiopia was peopled by him: And his Grandfather Cham they cal'd Saturnus Aegyptius; for that he and his son Jupiter Mizraim peopled Egypt. Beside Babel, this Nimrod had Erech, and Ac­cad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar Gen. 10.9, 10, 11, 12.. In Processe of time Nimrod left the Kingdom of Babel unto his son Belus, whom they called Iupiter Belus, not driven out of his Kingdom by his son, but Nimrod left the same unto him, and went into Ashur, & there he tyrannized over the children of Ashur, and there he built Cities also, Niniveh and Rehoboth, and Calah and Rezen. Ninus succeeded his Father Belus and his Grandfather Nimrod in their Kingdomes, and inlarged Niniveh, calling it by his own name Niniveh, and much inlarged his dominions, and be­came a Monarch, This Ninus so condoled and took such grief for the death of his father Belus, that for his own comfort and his fathers honour, he had a goodly image and representation of his father made, which he had in much honour. Others seeing it pleased Ninus, reverenced this image, by degrees more and more, and had faults often pardoned for the image-sake, insomuch that at length Bel or Belus his image was held to be the Protector of Assyria, and so adored as their Protector. Yet was he not worshipped in a Temple till after Ninus was dead. Semiramis the Emperesse, and the Relict of Ninus, amplifying yet more the dominions of her late hus­band, built for Belus a sumptuous Temple, and in it a costly pillar for this idol, in which pillar was ingraven these words or Epitaph.

Guevara, that great Antiquary, maketh no mention who first translated this Epitaph, or in what language it was engraven, but thus is it from his words Englished.

This was the first idol that ever we could reade of to be worshipped in a Temple. Assyria becoming a great Monarchy, other Nations either for feare or favour had this Belus also for their Protector too, calling it according to their several languages, Fascicul, tempor. Bel, Baal, Baalim, Beelphegor, Beelzebub, &c. with this idolatry, as were the Egyptians, so were the Israelites much infected.

The other maine idolatry set up by the power of the Assy­rians,, trough the help of their Chaldees was the worship­ping of the Host of heaven, that is the Sun and Moon, and the rest of the Planets.

The skilful in Astronomy and Astrology do unanimously testifie of the Fathers and Patriarchs before the flood, that they were the first Founders and excellently skilful in Astro­logy or Astronomy; and this may witnesse the two Co­lumnes which they built, the one of brick, the other of stone, in which were engraven the principles thereof; that Posteri­ties after the flood may be skill'd also in the knowledge of the heavens and motion of the stars as well as they: one where of remained in Syria in the time of Iosephus as he himself rela­teth Josehus An­tiq. Jud. l. 1. c. 4, 8. Clav. de Sphae. in Jo. de Sacro c. 1. Snd. in. Ram.. Yea it is not altogether unlikely that the idolatry of [Page 30]worshipping the Host of heaven, was long before the flood, and that men called then the week-dayes by the names of the Planets, as now men do. Dr. Hammond in his tract of idolatry commends Maimonides for the soberest of the Jewish Writers: he telleth us, that from the days of Enosh the stars were wor­shipped as gods, to whom were built Temples; and Sacrifices were offered; After which in time the great God was gene­rally forgotten; no man knew the true God, save Henoch, Me­thusalah, Noah, Sem and Heber, and so continued till Abra­ham was borne. Thus much Maimon Maimor. de idol. primo.. How he should come to the knowledge hereof I cannot conjecture. But be it grant­ed, that before the flood, when Astrology principally flourish­ed, men were not so wicked then to be carried away to the adoration of any of the Planets, yet sure enough Sem, who lived a long time before the flood, did also live unto the time, or near to the time when the Planets were held to be the uni­versal Governours of the world. Though he lived not unto Moses dayes, yet did he live till Abraham was an old man, if so he lived not after Abraham was buried: and this idolatry of worshipping the Host of Heaven, was before that set up by the Assyrians and their Chaldees.

After the flood Astrology continued to flourish in and a­bout the countreys of Shinar, but especially in Chaldea, and such as excelled others there in Astrology were advanced by the Assyrian and Chaldean Monarchs; However Nebuchad­nezzar would in his wrath had them to be killed for not tel­ling him his dreams Dan. 2.12.. They were called the wise men Dan. 2.12, 13, 14. and 4.6.. And by those who had their plantations westward, they and such Astrologers as they were, were stiled the wise men of the East. These Chaldees or Magi were held in that honour and esteem with the Assyrians, as were the Sophi with the Persians, or Priests with the Egyptians Boömus ubi d. Assyria. Boëmus certifieth us further of them, that the planets were their proper and peculiar gods, and that as Schollers now study Divinity, so did they Astro­logy: and as we catechize and teach our children in the know­ledge of God, so did they theirs in the knowledge of the stars; Children were taught Astrology of their Parents; they suck­ed it (according to him) even from their mothers brests Boëmus ib..

They who went from thence into remote places, to finde new Plantations, could not apply their time unto such stu­dies; building, and fencing, and planting, gave not them the leasure. Egypt had small knowledge hereof when Abraham came out of Chaldea, and after that came into Egypt, and there (as losephus Josephus de Antiq. Jud. l. 1. cap. 15, 16. & others write) instructed their Priests more fully in the knowledge of the stars, for which he was of the King rewarded with rich gifts Rudolph. Snel. in P. Ra­mi. Geom. in prooemio.. The Grecians were farre more ig­norant thereof, till near about six hundred yeares before Christ­his incarnation: when Anaximander, Melisius, Thales Milisi­us, Pythagoras; and in Platoes time Eudoxus (nidius brought the knowledge of Astrology into Greece, having learned the same of the Egyptian Priests and Chaldees Clavius in Sphaer. Jo. Sacr.. The Romanes grew more ignoraut then the Grecians; the farther off Shinar they went, the more ignorant, rude and base they grew; even to worship beasts and base creatures for their gods; which we finde not that ever the Assyrians or Chaldeans did, before they were subdued and mixed with other nations; but the Host of heaven, that is, the Planets were their gods. These their gods they worshipped by course Jo. Gregory in his Assyrian. Monarchy. Pag. 203.; every one on his day had some pe­culiar worship done unto it; and the day on which any of the Planets had his worship according to their order, that day was called by the name of that Planet so worshipped. As Saint-worshippers do call the dayes of the moneth, on which they give special worship to St. Peter, St. Iohn, St. Iames; St. Peters day, St. Iohns day, and St. James day. So did those Sun­worshippers; on what days of the week they gave special wor­ship to the Sun, or Moon, or Saturn; those dayes were called by the names of the day of the Sun, the day of the Moon, the day of Saturn. The time of the day for their worship was ever the forenoon, not the whole forenoon for them all, but at the rising of the Sun, when the first houre of their day for such worship began. And that Planet which came to be worship­ped by course the first houre of the day, was counted trump or Lord of that day.

They gave not equal honour unto the Planets, neither were the dayes of their week alike sacred; but they had the Sun in the greatest honour, and for their most high God; next to him [Page 32]was the Moon, and next Saturn, so accordingly were their dayes sacred, their chiefest day of the week being then the day of the Sun, of which I shall speak more when I come to speak of their seventh day sacred. Boëmus telleth us, writing of As­syria and their customes, that foure of the Planets they had in lesse esteem then the rest; His words are these; Martem, Vene­rem, Mercurium & Jovem prae caeteris observari: quoniam velut proprium cursum sortiti futura ostenderent, tanquam Deorum in­terpretes: quod ipsum adeò persuasum habuerunt, ut quatuor ista astrauno nomine Mercurios appellarentBoëmus ubi de Assyria.. That they diligently observed Mars, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter, for these by their pro­per course would foreshew things to come, as being Interpreters of the gods, out of considence whereof they called all these foure starres Mercuries. And my opinion is that as Boëmus doth here or­derly recite their names; in the same order did the idolaters place them aloft in their Temples; Mars on the right hand, and Venus on the lest hand of the other three chief, then Mercury on the right hand next to Mars, and Iupiter last, on the left hand; according to this forme presented to the eye. Whereto for distinguishing them I have set their usual chara­cters, being not skill'd to make a lively draught of them, as Verstegan hath done in his Restitution of decayed Intelligence in Antiquities. And I have set down under them their names al­so, not in the Assyrian language, but as the ancient Saxons of old, when they were Heathen called them, (according to Ver­stegan aforesaid) and worshipped them, calling the dayes of their week also by the names of these their gods or planets, which then they worshipped; Sunday, Monday, Tuescoes day, Woodensday, Thorsday, Frigaesday, Saterday. And we from them to this houre so call our week-dayes, Munday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, &c. I suppose the Saxons to be a very ancient Nation, for that among many other they come nearest to the Assyrians in their ancient idolatry: But behold the forme.

Note here that the Assyrians reade from the right hand to the left, and so we are to read the names of these Planets.

The reasons moving me to think these Idols to be thus placed aloft in their Temples, are especially two.

First, for that the Romish Church when they had got some power into their hands, and did in Pope Boniface the fourth his dayes suppresse the Idolatries of the Heathen, who worshipped their Idols in the Temple at Rome, which was dedicated to all the gods, and then called Pantheon; and having instead thereof set up another kinde of worship like unto that, even of the Virgin Mary and All Saints; whereupon that day was by that Pope Boniface made an holy day, called by the Name of All-Saints day, and the Temple al­so dedicated to the Virgin Mary and All Saints, called thence­forth Ecclesia Beatae Mariae rotunda Tho. Val. & Nic. Triveth. Com. in Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 2. c. 4.. I will deliver the words of an old Chronologer hereof. Iste Bonifacius (scilicet Quar­tus) consecravit Pantheon, (id est) Templum omnium Deorum, ubi Christiani periclitabantur à Daemonibus. Et est pulchra simi­litudo, quomdo Spiritus Sanctus, ex malis institut is Paganorum scit eligere Sanctum exercitium devotionis, quasi medicina fiat ex veneno. Ʋbienim impii colebant Daemones, ibi Christiani colunt omnes Sanctos: sic ars deluditur arte Fascicu. tem­potum.. And a little after; Fe­stum omnium Sanctorum institur à Bonifacio quarto. Then at that time I suppose were the images of the Saints placed up on high in their roode, which common people here with us call their rood-loft, in imitation of the Heathen. For commonly when the Romish Church put down any idolatrous custom of the Heathen, then they set up another resembling that which they put down; and this did they either for avoiding the greater scandal of the Heathen, which were then potent; or to winne them the better by degrees to Christian Religion or for some other by-respect.

As the Heathen had some one or other particular Planet or Idol, to be the Patron and Protector of some one people or other, and so many Protectors as there were nations: Belus for Assyria; Diana for Ephesus; Jupiter for Rome; Juno for Samos; Bacchus for Thebes, &c. So when that idolatry was supprest, in stead of these idols, the Romane Church had holy [Page 34]Saints to be invocated; and had for Protectors in like manner. Thus was St James for Spaine, St. Dionysius for France, St. An­drew for Scotland, &c. As the heathen idolaters had for seve­ral occasions, several gods and goddesses on whom they cal­led for help; Bellona in time of warre; Cunina for infants; Segetia for standing corne; Forculus to keep the doors Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 4. c. 1., &c. So the Romane Church to winne the heathens by degrees, suf­fered them to continue in idolatry still: but instead of their Demi-gods, they should invocate Saints: St. Rumbal for the tooth-ache; St. Petronel for the ague; St. Loye for horses; St. Anthony for pigs: St. Gregory for Schollers; St. George for souldiers, &c.

What were the Monks and Friars, the chaste shavelings and holy Nunnes, but the natural successors of Berecynthia's and Vesta's Priests and Virgins? Rome heathen had two god­desses in special reverence Berecynthia and Vesta; Berecynthia they held to be the mother of the gods Aug. de Civ Dei. l. 2. c. 4.. Her Priests were chaste unmarried men; and if it hapned that any one of them could not live chastely, yet he lived warily; until that Atys Tho. Vallois & Nic. Triveth. in Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 2. c. 4, 7. & l. 7. c. 25., one of her dearest Priests, lived neither chastely nor warily, wherefore he was caused to be gelded Ovid. de fast. l. 4.; after which time the Priests of Berecynthia (otherwise called Cybel) were gelded also, and (as some Commentators on Augustine say) were cal'd Galli, id est, Castrati Tho. Val. & Nic. Triveth­iccis praedic.. When these were put down by Christians; Popish Priests and Friars succeeded in their room until this time. It hath been wished by not a few, that these had been gelded also, as were the former; for though these have lived cautè, chastely, no more then Atys did, witnesse the many bones and sculls of infants, that have been credibly reported to have been found in their motes and ponds Nic Fox. his Martyr. p. 1155 Andr. Willet. Synops. Pap. Controv. 5. Quaest. 5.. As for the o­ther goddesse Vesta, Ovid and Augustine witnesse, and none de­nieth that her Priests were Virgins; that idolatrous custome being put down also, this of Nuns and Votaries of chastity unto the honour of the Virgin-Mary much like unto that was set up.

Now I say, these and other the like practices of the Roman Church, in putting down the idolatrous customes of the Hea­then [Page 35]idolaters, and setting up such of their own near alike, and resembling them, make me to conceive, that the idols which the Heathen worshipped in their Temple Pantheon, and in other their Temples were placed aloft in a rowe or rank, in like man­ner as I shewed before; for that the images of the Saints, which the Romane Church erected to be worshipped in stead of the other, were so set.

Secondly, for that, as Lyranus telleth us, the learned Do­ctors expound these words of Ezechiel, And lo they put the branch to their nose Lyra. in Ezec. c. 8.17.; thus; their idols were lifted up aloft, therefore the i­dolaters reached up rods or branches to touch them; and after that, they put their rods or branches to their mouths or noses, in reve­rence to their idols. Had not their idols been placed aloft in manner as the images of the Saints afterwards were, I sup­pose those Doctors would not have given such an interpreta­tion of that text. The placing of the idols of the heathen in such manner as is before said, I confesse is my opinion, and for the reasons before given, which if they seem weak to any, I leave the same to his better judgement, not willing to con­test against any herein, being not a matter of great concern­ment. But that the planets were the proper gods of the Chal­deans and Assyrians of old time, and that the dayes of the week were first so called by the Chaldeans, according to the names of the Planets, which they worshipped and had for their gods, as I before said, is not mine opinion only, but learned men have testified as much. And People as they mul­tiplied and planted themselves the nearer to Chaldea and As­syria, the more did they either for feare or favour, imitate them in their idolatries; insomuch that among the Persians none were to be honoured as Kings unlesse they were Astrono­mes Clav. in Sphaer. Je. de Sacr. Bos. c. 1.; neither were any to be Priests with the Egyptians but such. They all were worshippers of the Host of heaven gene­rally: and called the dayes of the week by the names of the Planets, as the Chaldees did.

And as the Chaldees had the Sunne and Moon in more spe­cial honour then the other planets so had other Nations also. Concerning the Egyptians, thus saith Eusebius of them. Pris­cos Aegyptios, cum oculos in hujus mundi contemplationem defix­issent, [Page 36]cúmque rerum omnium, &c. That when the Egyptians in old time had fixed their eyes in the contemplation of this world, and with the greater admiration wondred at the nature of all things, concluded that the Sun and the Moon were everlasting gods and governours of all things Euseb. de Prae­pa. Evan. l. 1. c. 9.. So did many other Nations also count the Sun and Moon to be chief, him to be King, and her to be Queen; worshipping them in the forme of men and women, and called the Sun Phoebus, and the Moon Phoebe; him Deli­us, her Delia; him Cynthius, her Cynthia; him Titan, her Ti­tania; him Janus, her Iana (or Diana, by prefixing the let­ter D. according to Nigidius, quaelitera saepè ante I decoris cansâ apponitur, (of which see Macrobius Macro. Sa­turn. l. 1. c. 23.) him they called Iupiter, her Iuno: him Dux & Princeps luminum, the King of Hea­ven; her Astroarche, the Queen of Heaven. Yet gave they not equal honour and worship to the Moon, or to any other of the Planets as they did to the Sun: him they held to produce and order all things: and all the others to be as Rulers and Go­vernours under the Sun, acting no further then they had pow­er and commission from the Sun, from whom they received their light, influence and power of working. Wherefore, as Papists say, that in worshipping Peter, Iames, Magdalene, and the rest of the Saints on their dayes, they worship Christ in them, Christ in his Saints: So the Sun-worshippers thought, that in honouring the Commissioners and chiefest Officers of the Sun, they honoured the Sun, who was the Lord of them all. And therefore when they worshipped any one of these planets on his day, they regarded not whether the planet was before them or behinde their backs, or over them or under them, or in what Meridian soever it was, but alwayes worship­ped Eastward towards the Sun-rising Ezech. 8.16., and that at the rising of the Sun only, And such as were more devout then other, would have their places for worship on the tops of hills, or at least on the roofs of their houses 2 King. 17.10, 11. & 16.4. Ezech. 6.13. Esa. 65.757, 7. Zeph. 1.5. Jer. 19.13.32, 29., where they may adore the Sun at his first approach into their Horizon. And the images of the other planets, were all called the images of the house of the Sun Ier. 43.13.. The Gentiles had a multitude of gods, by which they honoured the Sun; and which they honoured as gods from some vertue or excellency of the Sun. Diversae virtutes [Page 37]solis nomina Diis dederunt, as Macrob. sheweth fully Macrob. Sa­turn. l. 1. c. 9.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23., and that Iupiter, Mars and all the Rabble of the Heathens chiefest gods, had their godship from the Sun.

As the Chaldees had the Sun for their supreme God, ever­lastingly governing, not only all the rest of the planets, but all other things in the world; wherby the world was by them held to be eternal, without either beginning or ending; and the me­mory then of the Creation, and of the Creator himself vanish­ed from among them. Even so had other nations also the Sun for their chiefest Governour of the world, and thus they rea­soned the Case. Si Solut veteribus placuit, Dux est & mode­rator luminum reliquorum, & solus stellis errantibus praestat, ip­sarum vero stellarum cursus ordinem rerum humanarum pro po­testate disponunt, (velut Plotino constat, placuisse significant) ne­cesse est ut Solem, qui moderatur nostra moderantes, omnium quae circa nos geruntur, fateamur auctorem,Macrob. Sa­turn. l. 1. c. 17.&c. If the Sun, accord­ing to the opinion of men in ancient times, be the Chief and Gover­nour of the other luminaries, and he alone surmounting in excel­lency the other planets, according to the vertue of whose motions the order of all humane affaires is disposed; (or as Plotine would, is signified) it necessarily followeth that we should acknowledge the Sun, who governeth those that govern our affaires, to be the Author of all things that are brought to passe among us.

Men by the glimmering light of nature knew that there was a God, but what God is, natural reason could not dictate un­to them. Plato when he was to speak of God, as Macrobius re­lateth Macrob. in somn. Scip. l. 1 [...]. c. 2., Dicere quid sit non ausus est: hoc solum de eo sciens, quòd sciri quale sit ab homine non possit: solùm verò ei simillimum de visibilibus Sotem reperit. Sol ipse de quo vitam omnia mutuan­tur, &c. and in Timaeo, speaking of the eight Spheres, he cal­leth the Sun, Dux & moderator, & Princeps luminum reliquo­rum, Cor Coeli, Mens Mundi, &c. No creature could men see which might set out the glory, power and excellency of our God better then the Sun. Apud Priscas Gentilitatis Nationes, nil prorsus inter creata cuncta, quod mortalium mentes in sui Venera­tionem alliceret, pertraherétque magìs quàm ipse Sol, ob nimium splendorem eminentiámque sui comperiebatur Glos. Mag. in G [...]n. c. 1. Diodor. Sicul. Ant. l. 1. c. 2..

Not any Nation of note under heaven, but adored the Sun, [Page 38]and had it in honour as their great God. For besides the Chaldeans, the first setters up of this idolatry, the Persians worshipped the Sun their God: and this idolatry continued in Persia after our Saviours incarnation. Sozoman sheweth us at large the Martyrdom of Simeon the Arch-bishop of Se­leucia S [...]z [...]m. Eccl. hist. l. 2. c. 8., for that he refused to turn from the true God to wor­ship the Sun. And also of the Martyrdom of Ʋsthazar, who was the Guardian and Bringer up of Saboris then King of Persia, yet for that he being converted by Simeon aforesaid, re­fused any longer to worship the Sun, he was condemned even by Saboris himself to die, and so was martyred.

Secondly, the Sun was the Egyptians God, as I shewed be­fore out of Eusebius; yea and that many yeares before Ioseph or any of Iacobs Posterity came to set their feet in Egypt. Ir­shemesh, in the Septuagint [...], was the City of the Sun, in which was the Temple of the Sun Lyra. In Jer. 43.13., wherein the Sun was worshipped, and wherein were the images of the planets, all called the images of the house of the Sun. This City was cal­led On, and he that was Priest of the Sun in that City in the dayes of Iacob was Potipherah, a man in great honour with the Egyptians, else doubtlesse Pharaoh, when he so highly ad­vanced Ioseph, would not have given him Asenath, that Priests daughter to wife as he did Gen. 41.45.. In the Bishops translation he is called the Prince of On. And I suppose the cause thereof to be, for that the translators might think him, being the Priest of the Sun, to be the chief Priest above other Priests, as an Arch­bishop was above other Bishops, and such were stiled by them for honours sake Princes: but this Potipherah in the Septuagint is cal'd [...], the Sacrificer in the City of the Sun.

3. The Phenicians had the Sun for their God: and the idol in which they worshipped the Sun, was called Heliogabalus. In later times those two Emperours Aurelius Antonius, and Severus Alexander, were both of them Priests of the Sun be­fore they were Emperours in Rome; the former was called Bassianus, the other Alexianus, as Herodian Herod. de vi­ta Imper. Rom. l. 5., who wrote this history testifieth. The former while he was Bassianus, and Priest to Helingabalus, was highly beloved and praised for his vertues; but being Emperour, he became altogether as vicious [Page 39]and hated of the People; but most notorious did he become after such time as he married a Vestal-Virgin; and also had in Rome, made a marriage between his God Heliogabalus, and the Moon called Ʋrania, the idol of Carthage, but the Pheni­cians, [...], saith Herodian, they called her As­troarche, the Queen of Heaven. This Emperour gloried in this his marriage made; affirming [...]; that it was a meet marriage, the Sun to be joyned to the Moon. This his dallying with his God, brought infamy on his name, and he is ever since known by the name of Helioga­balus.

4. The Sun was the Trojanes God, they had divers gods, but their chiefest were the Sun and Pallas. As Belus was the Protector of Babylon, so was Pallas of Troy; her Image in which she was adored, was kept in the strong Temple, or Tow­er of the Sun, as the Images of the Planets, with the Egypti­ans were kept in their house of the Sun Ier. 43.13.: So the Image of Pallas, called the Palladium, feigned to be sent them from the Sun, was kept in the Tower or Temple of Phoebus, as in a place most safe, and there was it adored; and he that was the Priest of the Sun, and for that Tower, or Temple, when Troy was taken, was a very honourable man of the house of Otreus and brother to Hecuba, called by Saint Augnstine, Pantheus Aug. de Civ. Dei l. 1. c. 2.. So Virgil also called him.

5. The Sun was the Grecians god, and in Athens, once the chief City in Greece, the Court or place of Judgement was to be open, without any covering, in full view of the Sun; hold­ing that the Judge would not dare to give wrong judgement in the sight of the Sun, who was said by Homer to have [...] a revenging eye, and who seeth all things, and heareth all things: according to the said blinde Hemer.

[...] Hom. Iliad. l. 3., which to do (saith Plato) is the power of none but of God Plat. de legih. l. 2.. The Court of Judgement aforesaid had its name from the Sun, and so had [Page 40]the Judge also. The one was called [...] and the other [...] and their Philosophers for the generality of them, held the world to be eternal, like as the Chaldees before them did.

6. The like I say for Rome, that was built by the posterity of the Trojane fugitives; though Pantheus was dead, yet they had their Temple Pantheon, which continued to be so called till the dayes of Boniface the fourth, as I shewed before See chap. 9.. Un­der divers formes and names did the Romanes worship the Sun, as Macrobius sheweth, Romani solem sub nomine & spe­cie Iani Dydimaei Apollinis, &c, Appellatione venerantur: saith he Macrob. Sa­carn. l. 1. c. 17..

7. The Massagethites, that Scythian and unhumane Nati­on had the Sun for their God, though they would not acknow­ledge any other, as Boëmns recordeth of them. Deum quendam, sed non Deos agnoscunt, ex Diis enim Ʋnum Solem venerantur; cui equos immolant, ut pernicissimo sideri, è pecoribus omnibus pernicissimum mactent Boëm. ubi de Scythia..

8. The Ethiopians, Cathaines, Tartars, and other Nations worshipped the Sun their god, as the said Boëmus recordeth, writing of their manners and customes.

9. Doctor Francis White, late B. of Ely, in his Book a­gainst Theophilus Brabourne White p. 197., speaking of the Pagans in gene­ral, telleth us, that they worshipped the Sun.

Now to take off the Israelites from this Idolatry, so general­ly practised by the Nations, the Lord used divers means; of which this was one, that they should not have the day of the Sun for the day of his worship, but the day before that: but of this in the next chapter.

CHAP. X. The means God used to take the Israelites off from worship­ping the Sun.

THe Israelites living in Egypt were deeply tainted with the aforesaid Assyrian Idolatries which the Egyptians from them had learnt and set up. Doctor Heylin proveth out of Cyril that the Jews worshipped the Sun and Moon, and Host of heaven, as in those times the Egyptians did. And to the end they mght acknowledge God alone to be the Creatour; their Sabbath-day was set unto them, &c. Heyl. hist. part. 1. p. 74, 75, 76.

It is very true indeed what Doctor Heylin saith of them touching their Idolatries. Insomuch, that when the Lord brought them out of Egypt to be a peculiar people to himself, God then used many means to draw them off from worship­ping the Sun, Moon, and the rest of the Planets, all called the Host of heaven, whereof the Sun was the chief.

First, God gave them a special charge that thenceforth not any of them should serve the Sun, or Moon, &c. And that if any man or woman among them should be known to serve the Sun, or Moon, or any of the Host of heaven, then the party, whether man or woman was to be stoned to death without mercy De t. 17.2, 3, 4, 5..

Secondly, God charged them not to speak of those gods, or to have their names come out of any of their mouths Exod. 23.13.. They might not call the dayes of the week by the names of the Pla­nets, the day of the Sun, the day of the Moon, &c. as other Nations did, and do for the most part: but they called them thenceforth the first of the Sabbath, the second of the Sabbath, &c. Insomuch that all the Evangelists in recording the day and time of our Saviours Resurrection, say not, In the morning of the day of the Sun, as other Nations commonly called that time, and we now, In the Sunday-morning; but In the morning of the first day of the Sabbath: so did they call our Sunday. Saint Paul also, though he wrote to the Church in Corinth, yet writing in the behalf of somes Jews in Judea that were in want, called their weekly meeting day, not the day of the Sun, [Page 42]as the Gentiles cal'd that day, but the first day of the Sabbath 1. Cor. 16.2., being the proper name thereof with the Jewes.

It is true, that Saint John (though he was a Jew, yet writing not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles lately converted Diod. in loe., that is, to the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 1.4.) called our Sunday, not by the name of the day of the Sun as the Gentiles called it, nor by the name of the first day of the Sabbath, as he and the Jews com­monly called it, but he called it The Lords day. John called it not the day of the Sun, for he was a Jew; nor did he call it the first day of the Sabbath, for that he wrote to the Gentiles, to whom the name of the Sabbath was odious, as was the name of the day of the Sun to the Jews; and we finde not that Chri­stians who descended of the Gentiles, did in many yeers after this use the name of Sabbath in their writings: nor did the Jews use the name of the day of the Sun in theirs. But Iohn called it the Lords day, being as truly the Lords day with the Churches of the Gentiles, as was the Saterday with the Jews.

Thirdly, the Lord caused them to alter their times which were measured out to them by the course of the Sun, as years, moneths, weeks and dayes. Whereas their year before began in Tisri, when the Sun was in the Autumnal Equinox; they must thenceforth begin the same, when the Sun is most remote from it, that is, in Abib. Abib now must be their first moneth, and Tisri their seventh, which was their first before See chap. 4.. Their weeks were then wholly altered: the day of the Sun, which was the Gentiles seventh sacred day (as I shall shew anon See chap. 15.) must thenceforth be with them a common or ordinary work­day; and the day which they must have for their seventh sa­cred day, was thenceforth to be that day, which the Lord pointed out unto them by Moses, that is, the day following their six dayes of gathering Quailes and Manna Ex. 16.23, 26, when they were ready to perish through want of food. Also to draw the people unto an awful obedience hereto, and that they might not think it to be an innovation raised by Moses, (as the Hea­then generally thought it to be Cornel. Ta. Di­urn. l. 21. Trog. Pom. l. 36) the Lord confirmed this new order of their week-dayes miraculously; insomuch as on that seventh pointed out unto them for their Sabbath, there was no signe of Manna to be seen; and the portion thereof gathered [Page 43]the day before, and kept unto their Sabbath-day stanck not. The miraculous feeding them many years after this maner bred in them a custome of observing the week according to this new assignment. The Lord by Moses caused them to alter the begin­ning of their dayes of the week too, for wheras before they be­gan their dayes, as other worshippers of the Sun did, at the first appearance of the Sun in the Horizon, counting the first houre of their day to begin at Sun rising, thenceforth they must be­gin their day for the service of God, when the Sun is furthest off from his rising. Sun-rising was the time when the Gen­tiles began their worship to the Sun, but theirs must begin at Sun-setting. Their evening sacrifice, was their prime sacrifice Psal. 141.2.. Their Feast of the Passeover must be at the setting of the Sun Deut. 16.6., and their Sabbaths must begin with the evening; from even­ing to evening were they to celebrate their Sabbaths Lev. 23.32., that so they may the better remember and acknowledge the Lord God their Creator and Governour; that it was he and not the Sun, Moon or Host of heaven, that wrought their great deliverance in bringing them out of Egypt.

Fourthly, to bring the Israelites into the greater dislike and detestation of worshipping the Sun towards the East, as the Nations did, the Lord would that they should turn their breech or back-parts toward the Sun-rising when they wor­shipped him. The idolatrous Nations in those dayes, when they worshipped the Sun, Moon, or any of the Host of hea­ven, bowed towards the East, that is, towards the Sun-rising in honour of the Sun; but now in contempt of that idolatry the Jewes were to have their faces toward the West or Sun­setting; and their breech toward the Sun-rising, when they bowed and worshipped God. The holy place therefore in the Tabernacle was toward the West, as Dr. Willet proveth Willet. Syn. Con. 9.. And when the Temple of God was built, the house of God was so placed in the inner Court, as that they who came thi­ther to pray, when they bowed had their Posteriours, (as it is in the Hebrew) towards the Sun-rising, and their faces West­ward towards the house of God.

5. Lastly, the day of the Sun must no longer be their se­venth sacred day. The having that day sacred might have nur­sed [Page 44]them in, or have drawn them again to the said idolatry of worshipping the Sun; but that they might be taken wholly off from it, the day of the Sun was to be with them common or prophane, and another day, the day before the day of the Sun, even that which was the seventh from their first gathering Quailes and Manna Exod. 6.12, 13, 23, 26.. The day which the ancient Saxons called the day of Seater, and we from them Saterday, was thenceforth to be their seventh-day sacred.

Yet all these courses which the most wise God took with them prevailed not, they would not be reclaimed from their idolatry, they were resolved to uphold their wicked custom; not only the meaner sort but the Kings of Judah, the Princes, the Priests and wicked Prophets, loved, sought, served, worshipped, and walked after the Sun, Moon Ier. 8.1, 2., &c. Great charges were their Kings at, for making horses and chariots, which they dedicated to the Sun; the which good Josiah afterward in zeal to the Lord of Hosts did burn with fire 2 Kings 23.11.. Yet could he not root out this monstrous abomination of worshipping the Sun, but they strengthened themselves therin, insomuch that even in the Temple of God, in the place where they should worship the Lord of Glory, with their faces Westward towards the house of God, they would in a most high contempt worship the Sun; and bow with their breech towards the house of God, having their faces towards the Sun-rising; Of which con­tempt the Lord complaineth to his Prophet Ezechiel, to whom he shewed their great abominations, and greater, yea and greater then those; at length he shewed him this which out­passed all the other. Turn thee again, saith the Lord, and thou shalt see greater abominations then these, and he brought me into the inner Court of the Lords house, and behold, at the door of the Temple of the Lord, between the Porch and the Altar were about five and twenty men, with their Posteriors toward the Temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the East: and they worshipped the Sun towards the East Ezecb. 8.15, 16.. The women were resolute to worship the Moon too, after the manner of the Heathen. We will cer­tainly do, said they Ier. 44.17, 18., whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouth, to burne incense to the Queen of Heaven, and to poure out drink­offerings unto her, as we have done, we and our Fathers, our [Page 45]Kings and our Princes, in the Cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, &c. The Heathenish women against their time of Childe-bearing, sought and implored the Moon for ease and safety; the like custome the Hebrew women seemed to have had, who did knead their dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven Ier. 7.18.. Of this I will be sparing of my own, but deliver you the very words of that learned Iohn Gregory, as he layeth them down in his Assyrian Monarchy thus. The Assyrians wor­shipped the Moon under the name of Mylitta, which word Sca­liger hath well noted, in their language signifieth Genetricem, in which sense it may not unaptly be applied to the Moon. The reason he gives for it, is, for that If the Moon did nothing help the second causes in generation, yet in the bringing forth it is evident; for this is most certain, though every Midwife hath not observed so much, that the most easie delivery a woman can have, is alwayes in the increase toward and in the full of the Moon, and the hardest labours in the new and silent Moon; which was the reason that the Midwives heretofore, (he meaneth among the Jewes as well as the Heathen) did alwayes in such a Case implore the aide of that Planet, for the safe and easie delivery of their infants; an ex­ample hereof you may have, one among many in the ComedyTerent. A [...] ­dria., where the woman in the extremity of her travel cries out to the Moon, Juno Lucina fer opem, and this amongst others must needs be a reason why the Assyrians worshipped the Moon, and why they worshipped her under that name. The Prophet Jeremy maketh mention of this worship in the seventh Chapter, where he calleth the Moon the Queen of Heaven, as our English Translation hath very well rendred. The reason which he giveth why the women cal­led on the Moon at such times, I omit here to relate, being the same which Physicians commonly do give. The Prophet addeth that the women made Cakes to this Queen. This Custom of offering Cakes to the Moon, our Ancestors may seem not to have been ignorant of; to this day our women make Cakes at such times, yea the childe it self is no sooner born, but 'tis baptized into the names of these Cakes, for so the women call their Babes Cake-bread. So much John Gregory, and more.

Though Israel forsook the Covenant of their God, and went a whoring after the gods of the Nations, chiefly after the Sun: [Page 46]yet the Lord was not wanting, in affording the many means aforesaid for reclaiming them, where of this was not the least, in that he took them off from the memory of the day of the Sun, and assigned unto them the Saterday for their Sabbath. Concerning which we may truly say, that as their Sabbath-day was their seventh day from their first gathering Quailes and Manna, and as it was to begin at Sun-setting (which Moses termed the season that they came out of Egypt Deut, 16.6) so was it Ceremonial; a signe and token whereby they were known to be Gods peculiar people Exod. 31.13., and distinguished from all Nations that adored the Sun. Unto the observation of which seventh day, from their first labouring for Manna were they bound, and none but they; and they no longer then till the coming of him, of whom Moses their Captain said, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me, him shall ye hear Acts 7.37.: Even Iesus Christ who is the Captain of our salva­tion Heb. 2.10.: who is greater then Moses, who brought us out of a greater bondage then Moses did the Israelites, and who gave us not Quailes and Manna, but his own flesh; he gave us the true bread that came down from heaven, that we might live through him. After whose coming, as all other shadows and Ceremonies, so this of their Saterday. Sabbath from Sun-set­ting to Sun-setting did vanish also. The day of Saturn was thenceforth no more holy then the day of the Sun. The Jewes might as lawfully, with their general consent, have kept the Sabbath on the Sunday as on the Saterday. Saint Pauls pra­ctice taught Christians then, that difference of dayes was taken away. Ʋnto the Iewes, (saith he) I became as a lew 1 Cor 9.20.. When he was with the Jewes he kept the Saterday-Sabbath as the Jewes did Acts 17.2. and 18.4. and 13.14, 42.. But when he was with the Gentiles that were turned unto Christ, and imbraced the Gospel, he observed and kept the same seventh sacred day they did, which with them was called the day of the Sun, on which day they usually met together 1 Cor. 16.2. Acts 20.7.. There arose no small difference between the con­verted Jewes, and the converted Gentiles hereabout. The Jewes esteeming the Saterday to be more holy then the Sun­day, condemned the Gentiles for Prophaners of the Sabbath, because they observed not the Saterday: and for that they [Page 47]kept the day of the Sun, the Jewes held them to be Worshippers of the Sun as other Gentises were. The Gentiles on the other side upbraided the Jewes as superstitious, for their observing their set holy-dayes, (whereof their Saterday-Sabbath from evening to evening was one) which were abolished. This up­braiding and condemning one another in things indifferent St. Paul speaketh against, and writeth to the contrary in his E­pistle to the Romanes Rom. 14.5., and to the Colossiaus Col. 2.16.. The Jewes were no more bound thenceforth by the law of God to keep their Sabbath on the Saterday then on the Sunday. The Sab­bath-day by the Lord commanded to them, and to all in this law, being not this or that day, but the seventh, relating to the fix dayes of our labour before-going, is the seventh day of the week with all people. Now that it may the better ap­pear what the seventh day of the week is, and that Sunday is the seventh day of the week with us, and generally with all Christians, I will shew

• 1. What some have held to be a week, in chap. 11.
• 2. What a week, and what the week is; and what the se­venth day of the week is, in chap. 12.
• 3. The Antiquity of weeks, in chap. 13.
• 4. What hath been chiefly objected against the Antiquity of weeks, in chap. 14.
• 5. That Sunday was the seventh day sacred with the Gen­tiles, in chap. 15.
• 6. Why the Gentiles after their Conversion, continued Sun­day to be their standing day of the week for Gods worship; though it had been before idolatrously abused to the worship of the Sun, in chap. 16.

CHAP. XI. The Opinion of some concerning weeks. How it's hatched from the earths supposed plainnesse.

IT hath been the general Opinion, not only of the vulgar, but of the learned also, that the seventh day commanded us in this law, hath relation only to the six work-dayes of the Lord God, and not to the six work-dayes with men, as if the meaning of these words of the Commandment, Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord thy God, (so it is in the Hebrew) should be thus. The six dayes in which I wrought when I created all things, shall be thy six work-dayes, in them thou shalt do all thy work, but the seventh day wherein I rested thou shalt rest, and do none of thy works on any part of that day; but shalt keep that day holy, it is the day of my rest.

From hence they wil have a week to be none other with any people, but seven such dayes, whereof the six former dayes be the same with the first six dayes of the Creation, and the se­venth be the same with the day of Gods rest. Weeks in use with the Jewes they held to be such; the first six dayes of their week, to be the same with the six dayes on which God wrought; and their seventh day, which was from Friday at the setting of the Sun to Saterdays Sun-setting, to be the very day of Gods rest. Though Sunday be the day following the six dayes of labour with us, and on which we rest from our la­bour, having wrought six dayes before, yet we do not rest on the seventh day (as they say) according to Gods example; but on the first day: from Sunday to Sunday they will not have to be a week, but from Saterday to Saterday only.

And from hence do they, who deny the Morality of the se­venth-day-Sabbath teach and write, that the boundary or se­venth day of the week must be the day of Gods rest; and that the day of Gods rest was the very day which God blessed and sanctified, and in this law commanded to be kept holy, and [Page 49]that the Jewes Sabbath only was the seventh-day Sabbath, which in this law is commanded to be observed holy; and that the Jewes Sabbath-day being Ceremonial, and abolished by the coming of the Messias, the seventh-day Sabbath in this law expresly commanded to be sanctified, is abolished also, and not to be observed by Christians; and that sith no other set day is instituted in stead thereof by any divine authority, it resteth in the bosome of the Church or Magistrates, to ap­point what day they please for Gods publick worship.

Though all and every of these be very false, yet are they all by these men held to be even as true as their Creed; they little considering from how unsound and rotten a root, these and every of them have had their first spring, and that is from a supposal that the earth is plain and not round.

It is an odde, but an old conceit of some Philosophers, which afterward was held and maintained by the ancient Fa­thers, that the earth was not round, but plain as a Champion­field. They thought there could be no dwellers under the earth which go foot to foot against us: and that if there should be any Antipodes imagined, yet them not to be Adams Posterity, whom they held to have all dwelt upon the earth, and to have been all drowned except eight persons, when Noahs flood covered all the face of the earth. So strong did this opinion prevail with the said Fathers, as that whoever held the contrary, was counted near as bad as an Heretick. Witnesse Vigilius whom some call Virgilius, who was com­plained of by Boniface unto Zachary then Pope, and was degra­ded for holding that there were Antipodes, and that they had a Sun and Moon to shine unto them as well as to us. This sto­ry may be seen in Aventine Aven. Annal. Bar. l. 3., and in Baronius, who sought to cover the fact with fig-leaves.

Now that the adversaries to the Morality of this law held all those tenents before-said, and that they all sprang from this errour of the earths supposed plain superficies, I will next shew. For the clearing whereof I need not cite many of them, one may serve for all, being approved by them all. Neither will I tell here all that he writes hereabout, but that which chiefly concernes the point in hand.

Mr. Ironside a Reverend Divine, and of singular gifts and parts, but over-swayed by the stream of late times, doth in his book called the Seven Questions of the Sabbath, dedicated to the late Arch-bishop of Canterbury, William 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 unlesse the very day and the whole day be kept to a Minute, all the duties done on that day are lost. His words are these.

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

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 inferiour sort of people, he before spake of, may by looking in his Almanack, tell to a minute (if Mr. Ironsides rule faile him not) at any time throughout all the year, and in any place through out the world, when the 4th 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 Sunne, as all confesse, sure it is that until 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 I rons. 7. Qu pag c 123..

3ly, he tels us that the Jews Sabbath-day was the day of Gods rest; and the same with that which God blessed & 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 Page 70.. Whereas he saith, the same with the 7th, he meaneth by the 7th, the 7th 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 4th day did.

Now whereas some may, and that not without just cause, doubt how the day of Gods rest which began at Sun-rising (as he saith) and the Jews Sabbath, which ever began at the setting of the Sun whersoever 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 farre as the Sun-rising is distant from Sun-setting; between both which there must be half [Page 52]a dayes 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 calleth it) may more truly be called the day of Gods rest, Heyl. part. 1. pag. 48. then 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, M^r. 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 alwayes two before. His words are.

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 Saterday, and to begin the same at the Sun-setting of the day before-going, that is on the Friday at the setting of the Sunne, 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 that they kissed each other, as he saith, the end of one contiguum is the beginning of the other. Iron. pa. 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 errour is strong with him, because the Jews Sabbath-day is abrogated; he thinking no difference to be made between the Jews Sabbath-day, and the Sabbath-day here in this Law commanded to be kept holy; whereas they differ, as doeth the species from its Ge­nus. And from hence he inferreth that it wholly resteth in the power of the Church, and Magistrates to appoint the [Page 53]time for Gods publique worship. His words are these.

Now if any reasonable man will weigh these tenents of Ma­ster Ironside, he may plainly perceive that they, and every of them do flow from the supposal of the earths plainnesse. If this be true, so must the other: and if false, then so must all, and every of the other be false also: they all either stand, or fall together: and so will their contraries also issuing from the earths roundnesse. For

I Having now shewed the opinion of the most concerning weeks, & the ground from whence that and many other errours sprang, among which this is none of the least; That the day of Gods rest, the precise seventh day from the beginning of the Cre­ation, was the seventh day, which God commanded his Church in this law to keep holy, as if the seventh day which God blessed and sanctified, and commanded us in this Law should not re­late to the six dayes labour of the week in use with men where they live, but to the six first days of the Creation, and so should be with people where ever they dwell, the very day of Gods rest; from whence all our many and great contentions about the Sabbath have been raised and fostered: I will in the next shew what weeks are.

CHAP. XII. What a Week is. The Seventh day of the Week is the Lords day.

A Week is the space of time made by seven whole dayes without intermission.

By seven dayes, I mean seven such dayes as are all of one and the same kinde. If any of them be horizontall dayes, they are all to be horizontal dayes, such as were the seven dayes of the Week with the Jews. And if any be meridional, they are all to be meridional dayes, as are the dayes of the week with Christians. The Jews Sabbath, or seventg day was from Sun-fettinh to Sun-setting; therefore so should the six dayes of their week be also. The six dayes of our week are from midnight, to midnight and therefore the seventh is not to be from Sun-setting to Sun-setting, but from midnight [Page 58]to midnight also. The seventh day must relate to the six dayes before-going. The seventh day, which was the day of Gods rest, cannot relate to the six days of work with any people: Nor can the seventh day of the week with any people relate to the six dayes of Gods work at the creation; these were not of the same kinde of dayes with the week-dayes that now are, or at any time heretofore have been, or can be in use with men, as I have already fully proved See Chap. 5..

That seven whole dayes without intermission from any time, as from Sunday to Sunday, or from Saterday to Sa­terday, or from Munday to Munday is a week may appear.

First, from the several names and appellations by which a week is called with people of several tongues and languages. Our ancient Saxons, & we from them call it Sennight; and two such weeks fortnight; that is seven nights, and fourteen nights. The Romans called it Septimana; that is, seven mornings, taking the morning for the whole day, as the Sax­ons did the night. With the Greeks it was called [...], which is defined to be Intervallum septem dierum: That is, se­ven dayes. The Hebrews called a week not seven nights, as the Saxons did, nor seven mornings, as the Romans did, but as the Greeks did [...] seven dayes, or [...] that is, a seveny of dayes

Secondly, frequently in holy Scripture, seven dayes from any set time is counted a week. Laban bade Jacob fulfill her week Gen 23.27.: meaning the seven dayes of Leas marriage: Such was the usual time for marriage-feasts in those dayes Iudg. 14.10, 12.. If a woman was at any time delivered of a man-child she was to be unclean seven dayes; or a week: but if she was delivered of a maid-childe Lev. 12 2, 5., she was to be unclean [...], that is, two weeks: And so is it in our last Translation. The Lord appointed the Jews to count for their feast of Pentecost called their feast of weeks, thus. On the morrow after the feast-day of the Passeover (which never fell on the same day of the week two years to­gether) shalt thou number unto thee seven weeks Levit. 23.11, 15, 16. Deut. 16.9.. So that it is evident, that these their weeks for meting out unto them their feast of Pentecost, began from different times, or dayes of their Sabbatical week.

Thirdly, seven dayes so succeeding each other, as that their boundary be the seventh day, every indifferent man wil grant to be a week. But such may be from any set time, or day. Such were the seven dayes of unleavend bread: they began some­times on Munday, sometimes on Tuesday, and sometimes on other dayes, and never two years together on one and the same day of the Jews Sabbatical week. Yet were those seven dayes a week with them, even their week of Sweet Bread; the boundary whereof was the seventh day Lev. 23.8. Deut. 16.8. Exod. 12.16.. There is no difference made either in respect of letters, vowels, or ac­cents between the seventh day of the week of sweet bread be­fore-said, and the seventh day of their Sabbatical week, which with them was the Sabbath-day of the Lord. The like is to be said of the weeks appointed to their Priests for their judgement in the case of Leprosie Lev. 13.5, 27.. And of the weeks of Daniels mourning Dan. 10.2, 3.. By all which it is clear that a week is seven dayes succeeding each other from any set time, or day: and that if the first day thereof be known, the se­venth day of the same will be known also.

Next, we are to know what the seventh day of the week is, being the day here in this Law commanded to be kept holy.

There is much difference between a seventh day and the seventh day. Every day of a week is a seventh day; but only the boundary thereof is the seventh day of that week. In like manner, there is much difference between the seventh day of a week, and the seventh day of the week. The seventh day from the birth of a childe is the seventh day of a week, and the boundary thereof; then was the childe a week old. The last day of the week of unleavened-bread was the seventh day of a week; and so was the seventh day appointed to the Priest in the case of Leprosie, as before was shewed; but it was not the seventh day of the week, of the week whose boun­dary is sacred, and commanded to be kept holy. This week is the week [...], it hath some excellency in it, which other weeks have not: and that in respect of its use, constan­cy and universality.

First, it is more excellent then other-weeks, in regard of its excellent use; which is to measure out to men what dayes are [Page 60]common, and what are sacred: which are their six dayes in which they may work, and which is the Lords day in which they may not work; according to the Lords own standard held out unto us in this Law. Six dayes shalt thou labour, &c. But the seventh-day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, &c. God by this Law tyeth no nation to a set houre, or time when to begin their week: nor by what names they should call the dayes of their week. But he tyeth all Nations that at what time soever they begin the week, they work not on the seventh day, but sanctifie it: It is the Lords. All other weeks are for use inferiour to this. Other weeks may serve for to shew the just time for payments of monies, weekly or moneth­ly billetting of souldiers, taking of journeys, and for a thousand other reckonings in Civil affairs, but all inferiour in use unto this.

Secondly, other weeks are more inconstant then this, they vary in one and the same place, or else continue but a short time. The weeks of Sweet bread varied every yeare with the Jewes, like as their Passeover did, which never fell on the same week-day two yeares together, but were as unconstant as the Moon. Weeks for payments of moneys, billeting soul­diers, &c. are of short continuance. Of those that do use them, seldom or never do all of the same City or Town begin them at the same time; Whereas weeks in use for pointing out the seventh day sacred are constant.

Thirdly, other weeks are not generally in use with all. All do not billet by the week, nor pay, nor receive wages by the week, neither do men generally make their reckonings and ac­counts by weeks. But weeks for measuring out the six dayes of labour, and the seventh day sacred, have been in use with all People and Nations of any note and fame, not only with Chri­stians and Jewes, but also with Turks and Heathen-Nations. Though the week was not the same with them all, and there­fore their seventh day sacred could not be the same with all; yet all had seven dayes to the week, and all had the seventh day of their week sacred. The Turks seventh sacred day with them called Algama is on our Friday, because on that day Ma­humet fled from Mecha to Jethrib Twiss. p. 119.. The Jewes kept their se­venth [Page 61]sacred day on our Saterday, beginning the same on Fri­day at the setting of the Sun, because at that time the Israelites first began their six dayes of gathering Quailes and suste­nance; as may appear in Exod. 16. And because at that time of the day their deliverance out of Egypt was assured and seal­ed unto them Deut. 6 [...]6., and also for that the Lord commanded them to do so Lev. 23.32.. And Christians keep their seventh day sacred on the Sunday, beginning the same with the morning; chiefly for that our Lord and Saviour at Jerusalem made his glorious Re­surrection on the Sunday morning. The Gentiles also had the Sunday for their seventh sacred day, though they kept it sa­cred in honour of the Sun, of which I shall say more anon See chap. 15.. In these respects this week may truly be said to be more excel­lent then all other, and the boundary thereof to be not only the seventh day of a week, but the seventh day of the week.

CHAP. XIII. The Antiquity of weeks proved.

THe Antiquity of weeks may be gathered.

First, from that it hath been the general practice of most Nations, to have just seven dayes to the week: and eve­ry particular day of the week to bear the name of the same Heathenish god, or planet with them all; even with those Na­tions between whom there was no commerce or traffique; and were unknown the one to the other. How can it be conceived, that many Nations should have neither more nor lesse then se­ven dayes to the week, and to have the day of the Sun to be Sunday with them all, and the day of the Moon to be Munday with all, and so every week-day to be the same with them all, (except with the Jewes and Turks, who only as far as I can reade of, altered their week, the Jew beginning the same on the Sunday, and the Turk on the Saterday, for the reasons before given) had not their Ancestors (before ever they were disper­sed, far from the land of Shinar and Assyria) under the Assy­rian Monarchy, in the time the planets were held the gods of [Page 62]the world, so counted the week, and called every week-day by the name of the same planet, as now generally we do.

They who shall be alive in America three hundred yeares hence, and see there so many Nations of different tongues, and all to have just seven dayes to the week, and all to have Sunday for their seventh sacred day, and call every of their other week-dayes alike, will they not say or conceive that this could never have so happened, had not their Ancestors in Eu­rope observed weeks, and had just so many dayes to the week, and call every day of the week by the same names before ever they removed thence, and were dispersed into so many and va­rious plantations in America? The like may we well conceive of the ancient Saxons, Romanes, Egyptians, and other anci­ent Nations, that it could never so have happened, that every of them should have weeks, and just seven dayes to the week, and every week-day to be called by the name of the same pla­net with them all, had not their Ancestors under the Assyrian Monarchs, who first set up the idolatry of worshipping the planets, observed seven dayes to the week, and called the week-dayes by the same names of the planets, before they came to be planted abroad in several Nations.

Secondly, Adam at first had no other measure to mete out his age and time, but dayes and weeks. These he had from the Lords standard, who having wrought six dayes and rested the seventh, did sanctifie the seventh day. Adam knew all erea­tures at the first sight of them, and gave names to the creatures suitable to their natures. He knew them to be not eternal, nor a year old, and therefore might as well know their age to a day. When the Lord brought Eve unto him he knew her by sight. He knew she was not three dayes, nor a day old. He knew that she was made of him, and on the same sixth day in which he himself was made; and that the Lord on the next day rested from his works of Creation. By this patterne and standard of the Lord, he might mete out time by weeks be­fore he could have any experimental knowledge of moneths and years, which were afterward in time gotten by observati­on of the course of the Sun and Moon. And we finde, that in ancient times there was much difference and variation in the [Page 63]count of yeares and moneths with people: Some had but three moneths, some ten, the Jewes had sometimes twelve, and sometimes thirteen moneths to the yeare. Their moneths did also much differ for length, but never was the week count­ed to be more or lesse then seven dayes with any people.

Thirdly, from the testimony of sundry learned and pious Writers. Chrysostome thus, Jam hinc ab initio doctrinam hanc no­bis insinuat Deus, erudiens in circulo hebdomadae diem unum in­tegrum segregandum, & reponendum ad spiritualem opera­tionem Chrys. Homil 10. in Gen..

Aug. Steuchius on Gen. 2. speaking of the seventh day, af­firmeth it to be in omni aetate inter omnes Gentes, venerabilis & sacer.

Beda in his Hexameron testifieth, that the rest of the seventh day semper celebrari solebat.

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 Hom. for the time of Prayer..

Mercer commended by Dr. Heylin for a learned Prote­stant Heyl. part. 1. page 5., is of opinion, that the first Fathers being taught of God, kept the seventh day holy.

Philo Judaeus also maketh this challenge, Quis sacrum illum diem per singulas hebdomadas recurrentem non honorat Phil. de vita Mos. l. 2.?

Josephus to the same purpose, Neque est ulla Civitas Graeco­rum aut Barbarorum: neque ulla gens ad quam septimi diei, in quo vacamus, consuetudo minimè pervenerit Ioseph. Cont. App. l. 2..

Fourthly, from the testimony of ancient heathen Poets, such as Homer, Hesiod, Gallimachus & Liuus, who have spoken very lau­dably of the Creation and of the seventh day Clem. Alexan. Strom. l. 5.. This know­ledge of the Creation, and of the seventh day, and consequent­ly of the count of dayes by sevens or weeks, they could not have but by tradition, or from the Books of Moses. From the Books of Moses doubtlesse they had it not, for they were not extant in the Greek tongue, untill Prolomie prevailed to get seventy two Seniors of the Jewes to turn them into Greek, which was many hundreds of yeares after Homer. While-as the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah flourished, the Gentiles could never get the least parcel of sacred Scripture. The Jewes [Page 64]counted it to be an high prophanation of the Books of Moses, if they were any wayes communicated to the Heathen. John Gre­gory plentifully sheweth and proveth, that before this interpre­tation was made by the said 72 Seniors, the Heathen had no light from the Books of Moses Jo Greg. dis­course of the se­venty, &c.. If it should be supposed that the Poets got the knowledge of the seventh day from the Books of Moses, then must it be the Jewes Saterday-Sabbath which they spake so laudably of; but they knew that to be an holy day with them no ancienter then Moses, Septimum diem more Gentis Sabbatum appellatum in omne oevum jejunio sa­cravit Moses; The seventh day with that Nation, called the Sab­bath Moses made a perpetual Holy day, saith Trogus Trog. l. 36.; for which supposed innovation brought in by Moses, the Heathen gene­rally envied them, and their Poets wrote very disgracefully of them about their Sabbath-day. It was not then from Moses, but by tradition, that they had the knowledge of the Creati­on and of the seventh day.

Fifthly, Gomarus, who with all his might opposed the Mo­rality of the Sabbath-day, doth yet acknowledge, that Adam, Methuselah, Sem and Abraham, had knowledge of the Cre­ation and of the seventh day Gomar. de Sab. p. 113.; And why not Moses also, and thousands beside them? Moses indeed had a full knowledge by divine revelation, and infallible inspiration by the Holy Ghost, which guided him in the Historical relation of the Creation of all things, and of the day of Gods rest, as well as of other things related in his books, yet questionlesse he had some general knowledge by tradition, of most things he wrote of, as they were delivered from father to son unto his dayes. It would have been a very wilde conceit of Gomarus to think, when he wrote that the knowledge of the Creation and of the seventh day, came from Adam to Methuselah, and from him to Sem, and from Sem to Abraham, that the knowledge there­of was intailed to the heires male, or to some persons in a li­neal descent from Noah to Abraham, and not to others also. Incredible is it, that Noah should teach the knowledge thereof to Sem only, and not to Cham and Japhet too; and that Sem should reveal the same to Arphaxad only, keeping it as a se­cret from all other his sonnes and daughters: and that Ar­phaxad [Page 65]should do the like unto Sala, and he to Heber, and he to Peleg, and he to Reu, and he to Serug, and he to Nahor, and he to Terah, and he to Abraham: and that none of them should impart that knowledge to any other of their sonnes and daughters: and that the remembrance, as well of the se­venth day, as of the Creation, was wholly extinct with Ab­raham. Without all peradventure Cham and Japhet, and their Posterities had and retained the knowledge thereof for many generations; some of them to the dayes of the before-named Poets, and long after too. Orpheus, Aeschylus, Aratus, Pin­darus, Epicharmus, and others mentioned by Clemens, could else never have spoken so truly of Jehovah, (whom they called Jove,) as he relateth them to have done Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 5..

Sixthly, from the testimony of those who have been the chief Writers against the Sabbath.

1. Mr. Ironside professeth that he maketh no question, but that the Heathen who never heard of a seventh-day Sabbath, have weeks as well as moneths and years Irons. chap. 4.. But he thinks they had the knowledge hereof by the subdivision of moneths, as if knowing most of our moneths to consist of one and thirty dayes, by subdividing them there must be just seven, rather then eight dayes to 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 knew that the seventh day was to be kept holy Irons. chap. 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 stolne this light out of Moscs 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 referre 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 dayes of the week according as they found the time divided, and that we re­taine those names amongst us (whereat some are become offended) which were commended to us by our Ancestors, and to them by theirs He, l. Part. 2, pag. 61.. He sheweth out of Polydore Virgil, that Pope Sylvester [Page 66]hating the name and memory of the Gentile gods, (by whose names they called the week-dayes) gave order that the dayes 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 Hebrewes call their dayes, (he meaneth their week-dayes) 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 Page 62.. He saith further, That they are more nice then 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 feare 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 moneth. 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 Heyl. par. 2. Pag. 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 agreeable to reason Dr. White de Sab. pag. 90, 107, 151., which presupposeth weeks to be from the begin­ning, unlesse men were then void of reason.

4. Gomarus also, who hath stoutly written against the Sabbath, doth confesse that Methuselah, Sem and Abraham, retained the knowledge of the Creation, and of the seventh day Gomar. de Sab. p. 113., though he will at no hand grant that they kept 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 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 Morality of the fourth Commandment I referre 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 hourely Government of the Planets is feigned.

THere 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 houre according to this common distich,

Hence they say, that until this hourely 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 weeks but the Jewes only, and therefore none but they to have a Sab­bath-day.

Among many other Doctor 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 Jewes only. He would have us take it for granted, that no Nation without the knowledge of Astrology, (the Jewes excepted) whereby men came first to know the planets hourely Government, and so consequently what planet governed the first houre in every day, could have weeks, or call the week-dayes 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 [Page 68]which the first houre of the day was governed as their Astrolo­gers had taught them Heyl. par. 2. pag. 61.. And he assumeth that Astrologers found out this knowledge of the Planetary government but in later 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 Heyl. part 1. pag. 84.. Though the planets had (as some say) this orderly and hourely government, even from the day of their creation; Yet the Doctor 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 hourely government of the planets, whereby they con­stantly point out the week and the dayes of the week. For he saith of the Romans, that they were well enough acquainted with the planets in their later times; Yet they divided not their Calendar into weeks till neer about the time of Dionisius Exigu­us, who lived about the year of Christ 520 Heyl. par. 1. pag. 84.. But he holdes that they (being ignorant of the Scriptures) could not have weeks before they had gotten this knowledge by the motions of the planets. And from hence concludeth, that the Chal­dees, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, all the foure great Monar­chies did observe no Sabbaths, because they did observe no weeks.

In answer hereunto I say, that if it be true which the Do­ctor would; that without the holy Scripture weeks could not be known but by the knowledge of the said hourely govern­ment of the Planets; and that this government of the Planets was not found till the Egyptians of late times, and Eudoxus from them had gotten the knowledge thereof; it must needs be confessed, not only what the Doctor thence inferreth, [Page 69]that all the four great Monarchies did observe no Sabbath, because they did observe no weeks. But that the Patriarchs before the flood, and all Nations, and people whatsoever (the Jews only excepted) were without a Sabbath-day, and could not have the seventh day sacred with any of them till about the time of Eudoxus, who was Platoes scholler, because they neither had nor could have weeks before.

But for answer in plain termes. It is very untrue what the Doctor alleadgeth. There was never any such hourly go­vernment of the planets found out, but feigned. Neither had the week-dayes their names first from the planets governing the first houre of the day. Both which I will clear and make apparent.

Touching the former; There is no such hourely govern­ment found out in deed and truth; but there hath such an one feigned to be; and that upon a new order, or situ­ation of the planets made by Astronomers in later times.

For in ancient times the Moon was held to be the lowest planet, and the Sunne to be next unto her, and all the other five planets to be above the Sunne. This was the order of the planets generally held in ancient times by Astronomers Macrob. in Somn Scip. l. 1. cap. 19. Plut. brev. de Decr. Not l. 2. Clov. de Sphae. pag. 7.9., ex­cepting very few, as Aristarcus, Samius, and two or three other whom Copernicus follow'd making the Sunne to be be­low them all; but afterward, about Eudoxus time, or not long after, Astronomers partly by the aspects and parallaxes of the planets, and partly by the difference of the time, in which they finished their courses, found out a new order and situation of them; making the Sunne to be the middle planet, three to be above him, and three below him; according to this common versicle, ‘Post SIM SƲM sequitur ultima Luna subest.’

This new-found order of the planets set many Wits to the grinding-stone a sharpening to bring forth so me rare inventi­ons in laud of the planets new situation. Two whereof, that were more remarkable remain yet in memory. The one was that [...], which (as many say) was the ground of Musick Macrob. Clav. de sphaera pag. 84.. Feigning the week dayes to answer the supposed harmony, of the Spheres; every fourth planet in that order [Page 70]perpetually to sound out the name of the next succeeding day. The other was this hourly government before-said, first brought to light in Egypt, as is supposed; by which it will so fall out, that let every planet be supposed to govern his houre successively according to this new order, it will so fall out that the planet which shall come to rule the frst houre of the next day, will be the very same whose name that day doth bear. Both these I confesse, are very witty: but a mere fansie. And they, who urge from hence, that the planets have such an hourly rule, and government given them by their Creatour, by which every one in seven dayes doth constantly, and by course Rule the first houre of a week-day, and that thereby men came to have seven dayes to the week, and to call the dayes of the week by the names of the planets orderly, as they came to governe the first houre of the day, are meerly deluded. For had there been in truth such an hourly go­vernment given them, and had they exercised the same; then sure

First, Adam should have gotten this knowledge before all men. And then it would follow hence, that men had weeks from the beginning, even from this hourly Rule of the planets: butindeed, Adam had better ground for weeks, then the Planets could afford; which was Gods working six dayes and resting the seventh.

2. If Adam had not known this rarity, or if he had known it, and would reveal it to none of his children; Yet the Astro­logers before the flood would doubtlesse have found out the same: they were most excellent in the knowledge of Astrolo­gie, as Josephus, and many other in their writings tell us. they had such experiments in, and of their observations, which men in future times, living not the tenth of their dayes, could never attain unto. Doubtlesse had there been such a Rule indeed, they would have known it; and also written this ra­rity in those Pillars Josephus mentioneth Joseph Anti. Jud. l. 1. c. 4, 8., that future ages might not be ignorant thereof. Surely those long-lived A­strologers deserved not to be of that name and fame, if ig­norant of the said hourly government of the planets, had there been any such Rule, or government then in being.

3. If it be supposed that none before the flood were such excellent Astrologers, yet the Chaldees, whose Religion was in adoring the Host of Heaven, and in searching after the mo­tions and effects of the Planets, who bestowed their whole time therein, even from their childehood: who instructed their little children in the knowledge of the starres Beëmus ubi dee Assyria., as we teach children the Catechisme; these I say of all other since the flood, should have been the finders out of this Rule and Government of the Planets had there been any such among them. A vanity is it to imagine, that such an excellency should be kept secret from the Creation during thousands of yeares, and not found out till in late times, by some Egyptians of no note or name; whereas the discoverers thereof (had there been such a thing indeed found out) deserved to have their names ingraven in marble for their lasting memory to all suc­ceeding ages.

4. If this hourely Government be really true, then there can but one planet govern the first houre of one and the same day, at one and the same place; and which shall give name to that day; if otherwise, then this hourely rule is not sound, but feigned. Now we know, that one and the same day at one and the same place, may be Friday, Saterday and Sunday to seve­ral persons. I will clear this in Dr. Heylins own words.

Suppose (saith he) that a Turk, a Jew, and a Christian should dwell together at Jerusalem, whereof the one doth keep his Sab­bath on the Friday, the other on the Saterday: and the third san­ctifieth the Sunday Heyl. part. 1. p. 48. (he would not call Sunday our Sabbath, as he doth Friday the Turks Sabbath) Then, that upon the Sater­day the Turk begin his journey Westward, and the Christian East­ward: so as both of them compassing the world, do meet again in the same place: the Jew continuing where they left him. It will fall out, that the Turk by going westward, having lost a day; and the Christian going Eastward, having got a day; one and the self­same day will be a Friday to the Turk, a Saterday to the Jew, and a Sunday to the Christian. Sith then one and the same day came to be a Friday, a Saterday, and a Sunday unto these three by their travel, there must be three several planets to govern the first houre of that day; or else the planets must by little and [Page 72]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 later, that week-dayes had not their names from the supposed hourly rule of the planets, may from these reasons be gathered.

First, this hourely rule doth flow from the names of the week-dayes, 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 houre 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 Heyl. par. 1. p. 46, 47, 48., Sunday then with the Turk, when it was but Saterday with the Christian then at their meeting. Now let the most skilful of Astrologers be demanded, what day it should be unto them both, either Saterday or Sunday? whether the Sun or Saturn ruled the first houre 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 un­resolveable, unlesse 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 houre thereof: or if they make it Saterday, then Saturn was he. First therefore the week-dayes 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 hourely Rule of the Planets, mentioned in the beginning of this chapter that I mean. I con­fesse my self to be but little skilled in the one; but this he that hath but the use of a paire of Globes may demonstrate to be false, and to have no truth in it.

2. The Germanes had weeks, and called the week-dayes 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 hourely rule of the planets, which Hen­ricus Hassianus got in Paris, and then after taught the same in Vienna: and that not yet foure 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 Germanes 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 Germanes had learnt to have weeks, and to call the dayes of the week by the names of the planets, since the said hourely rule was found out, and that either from the Romanes 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 weeks, and call the week-dayes 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 ancient Kingdom, as Theodore Bibliander, and Verstegan also do acquaint us. Twisco, who before he died was a King, and the first King of the Germanes was borne long before there was a Monarchy of the Romanes, Grecians or Persians either. He was ancienter then 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 Kingdome of Sarmatia, and from whom the Dutchmen are called Teutshen. Tacitus holdeth him to be the sonne of Terra or Arezia, Noahs wife Theod. Bibl.. Mannus who was Twisco his sonne, and the second King of the Germanes, was borne not twenty years after Abraham. And Wigwoner their third King was born before Abraham went out of Ʋr, 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, [Page 74]remaining about Chaldea, Assyria, and other parts of Shinar, busied themselves so about their new plantation in E­gypt, that they neglected and forgat Astrology, till Abraham came out of Chaldea, and went down into Egypt, where, as Io­sephus saith, he taught Astronomy unto them, being ignorant thereof before Joseph. An­tiq. Jud. l. 1. c. 15, 16. See Chap. 9.. The Germanes were a Nation and a Kingdom before Eudoxus knew what a planet was. Verstegan also tells us, that the Saxons had in ancient times the seven planets for their gods, whom they called Son, Mone, Tuisco, &c. and also called the dayes of the week by the names of those their gods, before ever they had any Commerce with the Grecians or Ro­manes either.

3. Week-dayes bear the names of the planets, not from the said late invented hourely 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 dayes 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 houre of the day with them; he hath been said and held, to begin his Lordship or Government on the be­ginning, or first houre of that day; and hence is it that that day was by the ancient Heathen called the day of the Sun: the like may be said of the other names of all the week­dayes.

That the week-dayes 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 then 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 [Page 75]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 worshipped Heyl. part. 2. page 63.. Ask by whose Authority he proveth week­dayes 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 Pope Syl­vester changed the names of the week-dayes, and would 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 rariety in their schooles, whereby many (admit all) Grecians had weeks, and called the week-dayes by the names of the planets, as their Astronomers taught them; and now the Pope fearing lest the Romanes from the example of the Greeks should in time come to have weeks (for till that time, and after that too, until the Romanes had admitted Christianity throughout their Empire; Dr. Heylin saith they had no weeks Heyl. part. 1. pag. 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 Romanes and Greeks, did call the dayes 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 Jewes) 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 those Heathen gods, he chan­ged the names of the week-dayes, 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 in abhorrens Pol. Vir. de Inv. rerum. l. 6. c., &c. Sylvester the first Pope of that name, hating the name and memory of the Gentile gods, gave order that the dayes should be cal­led by the name of Feriae Heyl. part. 2. pag. 62., &c. Had the planets such power and vertue given them of God, so to govern by an hourely course, [Page 76]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 Romanes and other Nations might in short time come to have weeks also, then 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-dayes; 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-dayes by their names: hence is it that he made the change, even to take away theremembrance 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 dayes had not their names from thence: Any man may see the weaknesse of Dr Heylins principal argument, to prove thereby, that neither of the foure great Monarchies, nor any People else, the Jewes 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 [Page 77]seven planets were of old the Gentiles gods. 2. That the se­ven dayes of the week were deputed to those their gods; and as John Gregory doth assure us Jo. Greg. in his Assyrian Monarchy. in his Assyrian Monarchy, that the dayes of the week were called of the Assyrians by the names of the same planets, unto whom the week-dayes were severally dedicated; and that all Nations did from them call the dayes of the week in like manner. 3. That the Sun was of all their gods held the chiefest and supreme.

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 7th 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 sonne, and other Potentates of Assyria and Chaldea, had idolatrously set up the whole Host of heaven, that is the Sunne, Moon, and the o­ther planets, with constellations subservient to them; which of the seven dayes of the week, will any reasonable man ima­gine, did they dedicate to the honour of their greatest god the Sun, rather then that, which before was held to the ho­nour of God the Creatour? surely not any other. And when these 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 spoiles to their chiefest god the Sun; Nimrod giving him the name Baal Jo Greg. As­syr. Monar., which he afterwards assumed to himself Jo Greg. As­syr. Monar., Belus giving him the name Jove Jo Greg. As­syr. Monar., (Je­hovah in the Hebrew) the which he assumed afterward unto himself Jo Greg. As­syr. Monar., and was called Jove Bel Biblian.. 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 Sun­being [Page 78]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 Creatour? All that was known to be for the worship and honour of God the Creatour, they gave to the honour of the Sun; and therefore doubtlesse they deputed to the Sun that day also.

Again, when they assigned to every of those gods the se­several dayes 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 then to the Moon, Mercury, or other inferiour gods. So that most likely, the seventh day with the Patriarchs, was none other, but that which after­ward 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-dayes were called by the names of the other planets: and so by custome have they continued to be called with all Nations of any note for Civility and Knowledge, except with the Jewes only, who after their coming our 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 omniaetate 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 ancient Poets, divers of them do testifie the same, as Linus, Callimacus, 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 [Page 79] Dissert. de Origine Sabba. Also Dr. Heylin in his History of the Sabbath par. 1. c. 4. Now the seventh day so laudably by them spoken of, was the day of the Sun. For 1. It was not Saterday the Jewes seventh day. The Gentiles liked the Jewes Saterday, 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 Jewes 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 moneth, 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 moneth, 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 moneth.

3. Had the seventh day sacred to the Sun been the seventh day of every moneth, as they affirme, the Greeks doubtlesse 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 dayes at a time, no more then others then could do; and no more then we can set down the moveable Feasts that were with us, unlesse 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 dayes were omitted. Now there is an ancient Attick Calender to be seen in Scaliger de emend. temp. wherein things of lesse consequence are noted; but this seventh day sacred to the Sun in each moneth cannot be found.

4. Dr. Frances White and Dr Heylin also tell us White of the Sabbath p. 197. Heyl. part. 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, [Page 80]but the Lords day, being their Sabbathr 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 moneth 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 Sun­dayes nor on the Thursdayes, as the other Gentiles did. Note, that as Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, were now in late times called sacred or Prayer-dayes; so were Thursday and Sunday in old times; on which dayes they filled not them­selves as on other dayes 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 dayes. From which time till of late, our tables have te­stified obedience to that decree, being usually furnished with more variety of dishes on the Sundayes and Thursdayes, then on any day of the week besides. If any one here say, that these dayes were not sacred but Fasting dayes, because Binius calls them jejunia; I would have him informed, that sacred dayes were with the Heathen called Fasts, because they abstained from feeding themselves till their services were ended: the like did the Jewes, yea and Christians too in old time. Trogus writing the customes of the Jewes, when he would tell us that Moses ordained the Saterday, being the seventh day with the Jewes, to be a sacred day perpetually, he thus expresseth the same. Septimum diem more Gentis Sabbatum appellatum, in [Page 81]omne aevum jejunio sacravit Moses Trog. li. 36.. Doctor Heylin sheweth plentifully that the Heathen Poets, and others called sacred dayes Fasting dayes Heyl. part 1. pa. 102.. But to put us out of doubt that the Thursday, and Sunday were not only fasting dayes 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, nè Dominico, neve feriâ quintâ jejunaretur; quia hos dies Pagani quasi sacros celebrant. Whereby it appears, that Sunday was a sacred day, not of the moneth, but of the week with the Heathen.

6. Lastly, the testimonies of diverse learned writers shew that the day of the Sunne 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 celebrariSozom. Eccl. hist. li. 1. cap. 8.. Constantine then held that the day which the heathen Greeks deputed to the Sunne, was the very same which we call the Lords day.

Justin Martyr in several passages called the Lords day no otherwise then [...]; as then the Gen­tiles, or Greeks called it; saith Doctor Heylin Heyl. par. 2. pag. 62.. and we call it now.

Bonaventure acquaints us how Christians spoiled the day of the Sunne of its Idolatrous worship, and so kept it in honour of Christ. Secundum Gentiles, dies Dominicus primus est; cùm principio illius diei incipit dominari principalis planeta Sol; prop­ter quod vocabant eundem diem Solis, & exhibebant ei venera­tionem. Ʋt ergo error ille excluderetur, & reverentia cultús Solis Deo exhiberetur, praefixa fuit Dominica dies, quâ populus Chri­stianus vacaret cultui Divino Bonav. in. 3 Distin. 37..

Cael. Rhodigin. lect. Antiq. li. 13. cap. 22. thus sheweth, Nos jure optimo, diem, quem Mathematici Solis vocant, Domi­no ascripsimus dicavimús (que) & illius cultui totum mancipavi­mus.

It seemeth by these that Christians at first, devested the Sunne of the worship given him on the day of the Sunne, and gave the whole right of worship on that day unto the Lord God. They served the day of the Sunne as the men of [Page 82] Israel were to serve their captive maidens; the things that grew excrementitiously on them, as hair, and nailes 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 Sunne, 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 Sunne with the Gentiles to be, not their seventh day of the moneth, but their seventh day of the week; all which I here omit: only I referre the reader for his further satisfaction to Doctor Heylins history of the Sabbath Heyl. par. 2. pag. 53, 61, 62, 63., wherein he sheweth that not only the dayes 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 Sunne is the same which we call Sunday, proving the same out of Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Saint Augustin and others.

Quest. But here it may be demanded, that sith the Sunday was the day sacred with the Heathen, dedicated to the Sunne, 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 Saterday, 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 then the seventh, which is the last day of the week, is a­gainst the expresse law of God, as before hath been shewed, though it be nowhere 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 unlesse in their [Page 83]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 Sunne any more on that day, but the Lord their Creatour, and Redeemer.

Thirdly, It is true that all the week-dayes 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 then 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 Saint 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 excesse of riot with them 1 Pet. 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 Saterday-Sabbath (which the Gen­tiles held to be a singularity, and innovation brought in by Moses) insomuch that Jeremy lamenteth the same Lam. 1.17.. How grievous would be their Taunts and reproaches against the poore Christians living with them, and under their power, for their new set sacred day, had the Christians chosen any other then the Sunday? Had Sir Francis Drake, and Captain Cavendise, and their companies, who travelled round the earth with them, either out of tendernesse of conscience, or else out of obstinacy continued to keep that Sunday sacred which fel to them by course, & true tale of the days succeeding each other: they must needs have had their Sunday on our Munday, & our Sunday would be their Saterday: When it was holy day with them, it would be workingday 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 nobisillicita Cornel. Tacit. Diurnal. li. 2 [...].. Now [Page 84]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 wilfulnesse which was lesse 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 dayes with whom they li­ved As for example: had Sir Francis Drake, and his compa­ny observed at his returne, 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 Sunne of Righteous­nesse 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 vaine for them to have assayed the same, they could never have brought it to passe. 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, Saint Paul would never have prest the indifferency of dayes, as he did Rom. 14.1, 2, 3. Col. 2.16., nor [Page 85]would he himself have with the believing Jewes kept the Sa­terday 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 Act. 20.7. 1 Cor. 16.2., nei­ther would the believing Jewes 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 then their Saterday for their Sabbath, hundreds of years after the Apostles dayes.

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 & the same day for the Lords day with them all, w^ch should be chosen, not by a general meeting, or by a general consent, but by some of them only, had they chosen any other then 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 Saterday-Sabbath, different from the custome of all other Nations, had not the Lord God miraculously in the fal of Quails & 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 dayes for their labour, and so pointing out to them the Saterday, being the seventh from their first gathering Quailes 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-dayes, 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 Schollers; the vulgar people in their common talk, called their week-dayes as they [Page 86]did before, by the names of the Planets; and so have they con­tinued to call them, even to this day. The Jewes are now a weak People, yet there is not a Prince or Power on earth able to withdraw them from their superstitious custome of keeping the Saterday sacred; yea the believing Jewes, as was shewed, in the Apostles time, and in many years after could not be wonne by any means that the Christians might use, to give o­ver their Saterday-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 passe, that all Christians in all quarters of the world, should leave off their observing the Sunday sacred, and have another day in stead 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 dayes 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 ransome: but betrer 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 helpes thereunto.

THere hath been before shewed, that the Sabbath-day in this law commanded to be kept holy, is not a part of a day as is the Artificial day, but an whole day. And that it is not such a kinde of day as are the dayes of the Creation men­tioned [Page 87]in the first of Genesis, but such a kinde of day, as is or hath been in use with men. And also that it is not in tale, the fifth, sixth, eighth or nineth day, but the seventh, not the se­venth day of the moneth, but the seventh day of the week, the day following the six known dayes of labour, where men dwell and inhabit. Which day with Christians is vulgarly cal­led Sunday, otherwise more fitly, and as indeed it is, The Lords day, even our Sabbath-day to the Lord.

Now in the next place is to be shewed how the Lords day is to be sanctified. To the sanctification of the Sabbath-day of the Lord, which we call the Lords day, two things are re­quired.

• 1. That we keep it a day of rest.
• 2. That we sanctifie that time of rest.

That we are to keep it a day of rest the Scripture fully sheweth.

On the seventh day thou shalt rest, in earing time and in har­vest Exod. 34.21.. The like have we in divers other places of Scrip­ture, calling it a day of rest.

All men are to cease from the works of their calling, which on other dayes they lawfully may, yea and ought to do for the maintenance of themselves and theirs. Six dayes shall work be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, ye shall do no work therein Lev. 23.3.. So are the words here in this law, Thou shalt not do any work.

But whereas we are here forbidden to do any work, we must not so understand the words, as if on the Sabbath-day we should rest from all kinde and manner of works, and so do no work at all upon that day, the words of the text do not bear such a sense. These are the words of the Commandment, [...]. Thou shalt not do all thy trade, Art or occupation, and such are the words of the text in divers other places of Scripture Deut. 5.14. Exod. 35.2. and 31.15. Lev. 23.3, 7.. Val. Schindler in his Pentaglot. on the root, [...] telleth us thus; The Rabbines take [...] for Art or vocation, and [...] in the plural, for Arts and voca­tions. So Arias Montanus also correcteth Pagnines translation of the Bible, that whereas Pagnine hath it, Non facies omne opus, he turneth it, Non facies omnem functionem Deut. 5.14., where Pag­nine [Page 88]translateth thus, Omnis quifecerit in eo opus, &c. Montanus hath it, Omnis faciens in eo functionem Exod. 35.2. Where Pagnine saith, Omnis faciens opus in die Sabbati: it is thus to be read according to Montanus, Omnis faciens opificium in die cessationis Exod. 31.15., &c. The like may be seen in divers other places of Scripture, so transla­ted by the one, and so corrected by the other. Whence we may gather that the true meaning of these words commonly read in our translations, Thou shalt not do any work: is not that we should do no manner of work at all; but that we should do on the Sabbath-day no manner of the works of our trade, function and occupation. The Smith is not to work at his Anvil, nor the Shoomaker with his Awle, nor any other about any works that belong to mens trade and profession, which on the six dayes of labour they may and should do for getting their maintenance and livelihood.

There be some other works which on every day may lawful­ly be done, even on the Sabbath-day it self without the least breach of this law, and they are of three sorts.

1. Works of Piety.

2. Works of Government towards the creature subjected to us.

3. Works needful to the preservation of mans life.

These works may be done on every day without any vio­lation to the Law of the Sabbath. Neither doth the law of the Sabbath abridge us from doing them on any day.

What God ordained before ever the seventh day was in be­ing, was not, and is not nulled or abridged by the law of the Sabbath, but these works were before ordained by the Lord.

First, Man was made and had his being to serve God, to ho­nour and worship him, to perform duties of Piety, in such manner as he should appoint him. The doing of these duties on the Sabbath-day doth no violation to the law of the Sab­bath. Men doing them may be said to break or profane the Sabbath; yet not break the law of the Sabbath. When we have been diligent on the Sabbath-day in doing service unto God, and the duties he requireth of us for his honour, we may therein be said not to make the day a day of rest, but to [Page 89]break the rest or Sabbath; yet not to break the Commandment by doing these works. Thus Christ told the Pharisees, that the Priests in the Temple did profane the Sabbath and are blame­lesse Mat. 12.5.. Sure they could not be said to be blamelesse, had they by their sacrificing bullocks or sheep broken the Command­ment; they brake the Sabbath, they made it not a day of rest from these works, and so were said to profane it, that is, in respect of these labours they made it common with other dayes; all dayes being alike lawful or common for doing works of Piety.

Secondly, works of Government of the Creatures subjected unto man, were ordained of the Lord before man was made. Let us make man (saith God) in our image after our likenesse, and let them have dominion over, &c Gen. 1.26, 28. and when God had made man, he commanded them to have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowle over cattel, and over every living thing up­on the earth. This law and ordinance was not repealed or nulled by any succeding law. Man is to exercise this his Rule and Government committed unto him on any day. If fire should threaten to destroy house or houses, corne, or such like on the Sabbath-day, man is as well bound to use his power in suppressing the same on the Sabbath-day as on any other. If water indanger drowning of cattel, or if cattel strive to­gether, whereby some are like to perish, and man do not suc­cour and seek to preserve what was in danger because it was on the Sabbath-day, he sheweth himself to be a bad Governour of the creature; or if he should suffer sheep or other cattel to perish for want of foddering, folding, or housing them, as need requireth, he is not worthy to have the Government of cattel.

The like Isay, concerning works needful for the preservati­on of mans life. When Adam was in the state of innocency, before ever the seventh day was, even on the day of his Creati­on, the Lord ordained him food. Behold, I have given you, said God, every herbe bearing seed, (some whereof were Phy­sical) which is upon the face of all the earth: and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat Gen. 1.29.. It was Gods Will and Ordinance then, that man [Page 90]being made a living soul should use the means for the preser­vation of his life. And this his ordinance, was never repeal­ed by any succeeding law. All these three kinde of works may be done on the Sabbath-day as well as on other dayes; al­wayes provided that there be no irregularity in performing them. We must have regard to necessity requiring present help; when this giveth way, the duties more excellent are more especially to be regarded. And as these works may be done on the Lords day, so may the necessary helps thereunto be then done also. A man may on the Sabbath-day travel on foot to the meeting place, and assembly of Gods people; and if he cannot well go on foot he may ride. Also as men may feed, folde or house their Cattel on the Lords day, so may they use the necessary helps thereto, which could not be done the day before. And so also may they not only eat, drink, sleep, and take Physick according as need requireth, but also may use needfull helps thereunto; as heating their meat, and such like; for all stomacks cannot feed on cold meat. But let all take heed lest under a pretence of necessity, he robs God of his due honour, and his conscience of true peace.

Object. But here some will object that this Commandment tyed the Jews from kindling any fire on their Sabbath-day. If then we are bound to keep this law as strictly as the Jews were, we ought not to kindle fire at all upon the Sabbath-day for any occasion whatsoever, though for saving ones life.

Answer, To which I answer: that this precept in Exodus the five and thirtieth Chapter, Exod. 35.3. and third Verse forbade the Jews not from making any fire at all, whether it be a help towards the duties of piety, or mens health and safety: But from making fire, whereby it should be a help towards their trades, occupations or functions which are expresly forbid­den to be done in this commandment on the Sabbath-day. And that this is the meaning may appear, for that

First, this precept hath an eye, and refiecteth on the words immediately going before in the former verse, in which is a rehearsal of the summe of this fourth commandment. In these words, according to the Hebrew text Arias Monte., Six dayes shall fun­ction [Page 91](occupation or trade) be done, and in the seventh day there shall be to you holinesse, a rest of cessation to the Lord, every one doing his function in that day shall die. Then immediately followeth, There shall no fire be kindled in all your habitations in the day of cessation. The works about mens personal callings, and functions for getting wealth being forbidden in the former verse; in this is forbidden the means tending thereto, as the kindling of fire. And haply kindling fire is here mentioned rather then any other means; for that they being all Brickmakers in Egypt before, they kindled fire throughout their habitations for the burning their tale of Bricks. But when workes are lawful, and needful to be done on the Sabbath-day, such as are works of piety, and works of preserving the life of man, the necessary helps thereunto, as making fire is lawful also.

Secondly, the continued, and never blamed practice of the Jews of making fire on the Sabbath-day for these duties, pro­veth the same. They were never at any time blamed for making fire on the Sabbath for these duties, as farre as we can read in sacred Scripture. The man that was put to death for gathering wood (whether to fagot it, or to adde it to his Pile or heap is not expressed) on the Sabbath-day Num. 15.32, doth make nothing hereto. And that they did make fire on the Sabbath-dayes for these duties is undeniable. How else should the meat-offrings baken in ovens and in pannes, and in fry­ing-pannes be made, which they were to bring to the Priests as obligations Levit. 2.4, 5, 7.? How else could the Shewbread be baked, which were constantly provided and set on the pure Table of the Lord every Sabbath day Levit. 24.5, 6 &c.? And how else should the Paschal lambe be roasted, when the feast of the Passeover fell on the Sabbath-day? Every family was then to eat rostmeat throughout their habitations; and the remaines to be burnt in the fire that nothing be left untill the morning Exod. 12.10.. Sure these things could not be done without making fire. In like manner did they make fire on the Sabbath for preservation of their life and health. For doubtlesse the Israelites baked and sod their Manna on their Sabbath-dayes, as they did on the other dayes of the week. Cold Manna, and unpound would not a­gree [Page 92]with many mens stomakes on the Sabbath, who on every of the other dayes did eat it hot, either baked or sodden. On every of the other six dayes they gathered every man accord­ing to his eating, an Omer for every man Exod. 16.16, 18.. And then ground it, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pannes, and made Cakes of it Num. 11.8.. And in that week which was set for the measur­ing out to them their first Saterday-Sabbath, which was their seventh day from their first beginning of gathering Quailes and manna; Moses on the sixt day (that is on the day before their new Sabbath appointed) said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sab­bath unto the Lord; bake that which you will bake to day, and seethe that you will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning Exod. 16.23, 24.. On this sixth day they ga­thered double to what they did before; whereof Moses told them that the one part they should bake or seeth at their plea­sure, but the remainder, that is the other part, they were not willed either to bake or to seethe on that day, but to lay it up for the next day; the which they did: and although it was neither baked nor sodden, yet it stank not, neither did wormes appear therein. Now if the Israelites might not pound the said manna laid up for their food, nor bake, nor boile the same, and so eat it hot, as on other dayes; the Sabbath-day which should be a delight unto them, would breed them sor­row, and be burthensome unto them: and doubtlesse then we should read of their complaints hereof. We read how they complained for want of change, and wept when they remembred the flesh, Cucumbers, Melons, Leeks, Oni­ons, and Garlick which they had in Egypt: But now said they, our soul is dryed away, there is nothing beside this Manna, &c Num. 11.6.. How would they have complained if on the Sabbath-dayes they should have been driven to have eaten the manna, not pound, nor baked, nor sod? Their silence herein argueth them not to have been driven to such a strait, but that they did either bake, or boile their Manna, and so eat it hot as they did on the other dayes; the which could not be done without their making a fire.

Or otherwise if by this precept the Jews were not to [Page 93]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 then it bindeth us or any other people whatsoever. This law bound, and doth binde 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 Passeover Lev. 23.7. Nun. 28.18.: and on certaine other of their feast-dayes 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 mindes 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 it 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 performe also, and do duties, and works of holinesse unto the Lord. On the seventh day is a cessation to rest, a Convocation of holinesse 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, holinesse to the Lord Exod. 31.15.. And a little after that: In the seventh day shall be to you holinesse, a rest of cessation unto the Lord Exod. 35.22.. All which do shew that on the Sabbath-day, which is the day following our six dayes 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 Creatour, and Redeemer.

Quest. If any ask here, whether it be lawful for an [Page 94]Apothecary to let blood in case of great need; or for a Phy­sician to minister Physick to his sick Patient on the Sabbath­day?

Answ. Doubtlesse 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 mankinde, which are not forbidden by this Law; provided, neither of them do the same for his fee, reward and gaine; for then he maketh it a work of his Profession, for gaining of worldly wealth and maintenance, which may be done on other dayes, but not on the Sab­bath, without making himself a transgressor.

And now I conclude this point with the expresse 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, kinde, 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 dayes ought to be slothful or idle: but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him: Even so God hath given expresse 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 dayes and rested the seventh, and blessed and sanctified it, and consecrated it to quietnesse 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 hardened, 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 Sabbath­day to sanctifie it. This charge of heedfulnesse 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 dayes, 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 mindeful 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 houre 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 houre of the day it is: so here, he that can but tell the dayes of the week, may easily tell what day is the Sabbath-day. Six dayes 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 beginning of the Cre­ation, nor from any set Epoche: for then it would have put the most skilful Mathematicians to a stand, for the finding out when this seventh day should begin, but it is the day follow­ing the six dayes of labour. In what countrey soever a man is, though he is not well skilled in the language of that place, and doth not understand what the names of the week-dayes sig­nifie; yet if he can tell which be their six work-dayes, he may then tell also which is their seventh day. It maketh not much by what names the dayes of the week be called, nor what the signification of either or any of the week-dayes should be. The seventh day of the week with Christians, hath been called by divers several names, and that even by Christians them­selves, such as these, Sunday: The Lords day: The first day of the week: and in later times it hath been called also the Sab­bath-day; but in the first times Christians would not call it the Sabbath-day, because all the Gentiles detested the name of Sabbath, as the Jewes did the name of Sunday, as before is shewed: neither could they relish this name for a good while after their Conversion. It is not much matter by which of these names we call our seventh day; nor whether we under­stand the signification of the name; as what Sunday, or The Lords day, or The first day of the week do signifie, or why we do so call our seventh day. Though he do not know it to be called Sunday from our Heathen Ancestors, who called this day so in honour of the Sun whom they worshipped: nor know it to be called the Lords day because it is his Sabbath who sanctified it: nor know it to be called the first day of the [Page 97]week, for that the Jewes called this day the first of the Sabbath, and so was called by them in sacred Scripture; and for that the latter Translators of the Bible, would have this name by which the Jews called it, to be in our tongue, called the first day of the week; So as that now we count it not the day of the Sun, as our Heathen Ancestors did: nor count it to be the first of our work-dayes, or first in order and tale of our week-dayes as the Jewes did. The name of the day doth neither adde nor alter any thing of the nature there­of.

Thirdly, here is set down the equity of this law. It is so rea­sonable that none need complain. The Lord alloweth man six dayes, and reserveth but one for himself. Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do, but the seventh is the Sabbath. How unreasonable are such who are not contented with the Lords liberal allowance, but incroach on the Lords day also, which he reserved for his own honour and wor­ship?

Fourthly, in that the Lord did in many words set down so punctually. 1. The works from which men are restrained. 2. The persons who are restrained.

The works forbidden are all kinde of Trades, Professions and Occupations, which on other dayes men do or may use for getting their living and maintenance. There is no word in English, which doth so fully expresse [...], which here the Lord forbiddeth to be done, as doth Function, Art or Occupation, as I shewed before, so that none can excuse him­self, saying, that his Profession requireth little or no labour of the body; as do husbandry and divers other Handicrafts: for God forbids [...] all Vocations, Functions or Oc­cupations. Men ought to abstain from all their works, of what Profession or Vocation soever they be. Yea these works are not only forbidden in respect of the labour of the hand, but of the tongue and minde also; we should not be talking of them, neither should our hearts and mindes run on them on the Lords day.

As God for the furtherance of mans true obedience to this law, hath fully shewed the works we are forbidden to do, so [Page 98]doth he also as fully, and in many words shew who are for­bidden to do any of these works; Thou, nor thy sonne, nor thy daughter, nor, &c. Whosoever hath any authority and com­mand over himself, must not only be careful that he himself ab­stain from his labours, but also if he hath authority and com­mand over others, as sonne, daughter, man or maid, Oxe or Asse, he is to see that they also cease from all work-day-la­bours on the seventh day; he is not to imploy any of them: he nor any of his may imploy either Oxe or Asse, nor lend or, let them to hire for their labour on the seventh day, or on any part of that day. The Lords expressions are large herein, that so all pretences and excuses may be taken a­way.

Fifthly, the Lord sheweth here, and would have us to know that we have no right unto the seventh day, nor to any part thereof, for doing of our own works thereon, for the seventh day is the Lords day, and not ours, it is The Sabbath of the Lord thy God, (as it is in this place in our Bibles so translated,) it is, saith God, [...] a Sabbath to the Lord: that is, a Rest or Cessation to the Lord, as before I have shewed See Chap. 8.. It is a day holy to the Lord, and therefore none other then the Lords. All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, (in the time of the law) was the Lords Levit. 27.30., and so was the tithe of the herd or of the flock, even of whatsoever passed under the rod Verse. 32., for the tithe of all these were holy to the Lord Verse 30.32., and therefore they were the Lords; they were his seed, his fruit, his Lambes, &c. One Lambe was no more holy then another when they fell from their Dammes; and before they were tithed out, the Possessor of them might have mingled them at his pleasure; he was not tied to begin his tithing at one Lambe rather then at another; but from what Lambe soever he began, every tenth Lambe that in order passed under the rod was the Lords: he might not then change it, nor search whether it was good or bad Verse 33.; it was then holy to the Lord, it was the Lords Lambe: and of such as detained the tenth, the Lord complained that they had rob­bed him Mal. 3.8, 9.. And so I say, concerning the seventh day in the like sense, That one day of it self is no more holy then is another. [Page 99]Christians were not tied by any divine law to begin their week, or sevening from any set particular time: but they continuing their accustomed week, and so beginning their sevening from the day of Christs Resurrection, the seventh from thence in an orderly course is sacred to the Lord, it is the Lords day; no man upon his particular occasions may change the same: he may not say, My businesse is such that I cannot keep this Sab­bath-day, but I will keep another day in the 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 businesse rather. When men take the seventh day which is sacred to the Lord, and imploy the same about their own businesse, 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 then a week in every moneth, or a moneth in every yeare: And why he would have the seventh day for his service rather then the tenth; the ground hereof the Lord here sheweth to be this; In six dayes 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 Genesis 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 finde 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 God, 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 [Page 100]unto us what the day is whith 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, & his own example together, with his blessing it and his sovereign institution hereof: how can any without pal­pable ignorance, or wilful rebellion plead ignorance of the Sabbath? or knowing it, not yield ready obedience thereto?