Essay Concerning the Sabbath, Essay
THE Sunday-Sabbath's Reſt FROM CONTROVERSIES.
CHAP. I. Of the Theſis or Poſition.
Section I.
THE Theſis or Poſition]: Our Sunday-Sabbath or Lords-day is the very ſame day of the week, which was anciently obſerved by Jews and Gentiles, for the Solemn day of their Solemn weekly Worſhip, before Iſraels coming out of Aegypt; and after that by the Gentiles.
Sect. II.
The explanation of the Theſis] 1. We call it Sunday. 1. Becauſe it is vulgarly ſo called, and beſt known by the generality of the Nation. 2. Becauſe the Jews anciently ſo called it, and obſerved it, in memorial of God (their Sun *Pſ. 84.11.) Creating the World, and that eminenteſt part thereof the Sun. *Exod. …0.11. If ſo long after the Creation, no don't but anciently nea…e… the Crea…ion.3. Becauſe the Gentiles of old called it Sunday; though upon an ill occaſion; that they on that day Worſhiped the Sun. But it is to our purpoſe to note the number of the day, not the iniquity; the obſervation, not the miſapplication of the day.
¶. 2. We call it Sabbath. 1. Becauſe many Chriſtians ſo call it, and own it, againſt all Jewiſh Saturday Sabbatarians. 2. Becauſe the Word (foreign) Sabbath, ſignifies reſt: which reſt for Body and Soul we have moſtly on this day. 3. Becauſe in ſome way of proportion, the time of our Sabbath day anſwers to that of the Jews; both being a Seventh day of the week.
¶. 3. We call it The Lord's day: 1. Becauſe the Scripture ſo calls it. I was (ſaith St. John the Diſciple of Chriſt) in the Spirit on the LORDS DAY *Rev. 1.10.meaning our Sabbath or Sunday, which we call the Lord's day. For ſurely if (foreign) the Lords Supper doth ſufficiently diſtinguiſh that Spiritual Supper of the Communion, to all ingenuous men from all common Suppers, then ſo doth (foreign) the Lord's day ſufficiently diſtinguiſh to all, not willfully blind, that ſpecial day from all other days. For it follows, 2ly. That we call our Sabbath the Lord's day, becauſe it was the day of the Lord Christ's Reſurrection from the Dead; wherein he reſted from his Sufferings. and we thereby from our Sins and Condemnation. 'Tis true, That the day of Chriſt's Reſurrection is by the ſame Apoſtle called the First day of the week *Joh. 20.1.But 'tis as true, That this ſame Firſt day was the Jews and Gentiles Sabbath for Two thouſand four hundred fifty four years, viz. From the Creation, to the reduction of Iſrael our Aegypt; and was the Gentiles Sabbath long after that. 3ly. We call it the Lord's Day, becauſe on that day in every week we ſolemnly worſhip the Lord Christ with the Goſpel Worſhip, which the Lord himſelf hath Inſtituted.
Sect. 3.
The probation or proof of the ſaid Theſis] being made good by the orderly ſucceeding of the following Chapter, N. B.the latter ſtrengthning the former; it may be hoped, that according to the TITLE, there will follow a ceſſation, and reſt of all Controverſies about the Sunday Sabbath, or the Lord's day, either by the Quotidian or Hemerion Sabbatarians, that pretend no one day, but every day ſhould be as a Sabbath. Or by the Plurian Sabbatarians, that would not have all days to be Sabbaths; but would have more then one day in Seven. Or by the Proſabbatarians, that are wholy for the Jewiſh Sabbath. Or by the Antiſabbatarians that are againſt the Jewiſh Sabbath, in the behalf of the Chriſtian Sabbath. Or touching the morality of th… Sabbath in general. Or touching the warrantrie of Chriſtian Lord's day Sabbath. Or touching the Scruple, whether to cal… the day of Solemn Worſhip Sunday, or Sabbath day, o… Lord's day.
CHAP. II. Of the Natural and Artificial day.
Sect. 1.
THE Natural day of Twenty four hours (as it is vulgarly called) is with any people, the ſpace of time between Sun-riſing, and Sun-riſing; or between Sun-ſetting, and Sun-ſetting: called by the Learned the Horizontal day.
Sect. 2.
The parts of this Natural day are two. The one is the Artificial day, that is, the days Light. The other part is (by relative conſequence) the Artificial night, that is the Nights darkneſs, belonging to that day. So that the Artificial day is the whole ſpace between Sun-riſing and Sun-ſetting.
CAP. III. Of the ancient beginning of the Natural day.
Sect. 1.
THE Artificial day, or Daylight was anciently before Iſraels going out of Aegypt, counted the beginning, or former part of the Natural day; and the Night the latter part of the ſaid natural day. This appears three ways.
¶. 1. In that when the parts of the Natural day are mentioned in Scripture, before Iſraels coming out of Aegypt, the Morning was ſet before the Night. Gen. 1.16, 17, 18. God made two great Lights, the greater Light to rule the DAY, and the leſſer Light to rule the Night, he made alſo the Stars. And God ſet them in the Firmament of Heaven. And to rule over the DAY, and over the NIGHT, and to divide the LIGHT from the DARKNESS. Likewiſe in Gen. 7.4. Yet ſeven DAYS and I will cauſe it to rain upon the Earth forty DAYS and forty Nights. And verſ. 12. The rain was upon the Earth forty DAYES and forty Nights. Item Gen. 8. laſt. While the Earth remains, Seed-time and Harveſt, and cold and heat, and Summer and Winter, and DAY and Night ſhall not ceaſe.
¶. 2. Becauſe at what time ſoever, or hour of the day light the Scripture ſpeaks of the following Night, it expreſſeth it in this manner, To Night; This Night; This ſame Night as belonging to the ſame day, and not to the following day. See Gen. 19.34. Where THIS Night is expreſt as the Night-darkneſs, that followed the day's, Day-light immediately foregoing, as belonging thereunto. So Gen. 26. 24. And Iſaac went up from thence to Beerſheba and the Lord appeared unto him THE SAME NIGHT; that is the Night belonging to the immediate preceding DAY LIGHT wherein Iſaac Travelled up to Beerſheba.
¶. 3. When at any hour of the day-light the Scripture mentions Night, it ſpeaks not of the Night as belonging to the day following, but as belonging to the day before-going, ſaying Yeſter-night, Gen. 19.34. YESTERNIGHT I lay with my Father. And Gen. 31.42. God hath ſeen (ſaith Jacob to Laban) mine affliction, and the labours of my hands, and rebuked thee YESTERNIGHT. But when at Night they ſpake of the Day following, they uſed not to ſay TO DAY, or THIS DAY, but to MORROW, or the MORROW AFTER Num. 33.3. They departed from Rameſes, in the firſt MonethMonth, in the fifteenth day of the firſt monethmonth; on the MORROW AFTER the Paſſover the Children of Iſrael went out with an high hand &c. So 1 Sam. 19.11. And Saul ſent Meſſengers to David's houſe to watch him, and to ſtay him in the MORNING. And Michael David's Wife told him ſaying, If thou ſave not thy life TO NIGHT, TO MORROW thou ſhalt be ſlain: ſignifying by the morrow another day, Mat. 6.34. Jam. 4. 13, 14.
Sect. 2.
Yea I might further aſſert, That after Iſraels coming out of Aegypt, the Jews (mentioned in Scripture) did commonly accompt the Artificial day, of Day light, to be the former part of the day, in reſpect of their Civil affairs, Exod. 13.21, 22. The Lord went before them by DAY in a Pillar of a Cloud, to lead them the WAY; and by night, in a Pillar of Fire, to give them Light. He took not away the Pillar of the Cloud by DAY, nor the Pillar of Fire by Night. So Levit. 8.35. Therefore ſhall ye abide at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation DAY and Night. See alſo Num. 9.21. So it was when the Cloud was taken up in the MORNING, then they journyed, whether it was by DAY or by Night.
CAP. IV. Of the change of the beginning of the Natural Day, and the Effect thereof.
Sect. 1.
WHen the Iſraelites were come out of Aegypt, the NIGHT was made (excepted as before excepted) the former part of the Natural day. This appears,
¶. 1. Becauſe a never to-be forgotten Memorial or Memorandum is ſolemnly put upon that Night wherein they march'd out of Aegypt. Exod. 12.42. It is a Night to be much obſerved unto the Lord, for bringing them out from the Land of Aegypt: This is that Night of the Lord, to be obſerved of all the Children of Iſrael in their Generations.
¶. 2. The Iſraelites were commanded after their coming out of Aegypt, to celebrate the Sabbath from Evening to Evening, Levit. 23.32. N. B.From Evening to Evening ſhall ye celebrate your Sabbath.
Sect. 2.
The new beginning of the Week.Whereupon they ſo begin their Week-days alſo, whereby their Sabbath day was meaſured out unto them, to be their Seventh day, otherwiſe their Seventh day would not have been proportionable to their ſix days of labour.
Sect. 3.
A new beginning of the Year.From hence alſo their Year had a new beginning. For whereas formerly they began their Year in the Month Tiſri, N. B.(which conſiſted chiefly of our September) after all their ingathering of all their Fruits of the Earth, Exod. 23.16. And the Feaſt of Harveſt, the Firſt-fruits of thy labours which thou haſt ſown in the Field, and the Feaſt of INGATHERING which is in the END of the YEAR, when thou hast gathered in the Labours out of the field: Likewiſe, Ex. 34.22. And thou ſhalt obſerve the Feaſt of weeks, of the Firſt-fruits of Wheat-Harveſt, and the Feaſt of Ingathering at the YEARS-END: Now hence forward they were to begin their Year with the MonethMonth in which they had their Freedom from Aegypt, Exod. 12. 2. This MonethMonth ſhall be unto you the BEGINNING of MONETHS, it ſhall be the FIRST MONETHMONTH of the YEAR to you. Which MonethMonth was called in the Hebrew Abib, and by the Chaldee Niſan, conſiſting partly of our March, and partly of our April, being with them the firſt MonethMonth after the Vernal Aequinoctial, that is, after the Spring-Aequality of the Day and Night. So that from after their deliverance from Aegypt, the Iſraelites had a new Year, and a new MonethMonth, and a new day to begin their year withal. N. B.So that although in reſpect of their Civil Affairs they began their Year, their MonethMonth, and Day as they did before they came out of Aegypt; yet in this New Eccleſiaſtical, or Sacred Year, they began their Day at Even. All their Sabbaths and all other their Sacred days, and ſo alſo their Week-days, for meaſuring out to them their Sacred days they began at Even. They had the Evening to be the former part of the Day, Levit. 23.32.
Sect. 4.
To ſpeak a little more particularly to the ſaid Change. That the Artificial day of Day-light among the Jews, conſiſted of Twelve hours is evident by Scripture, Act. 2.15. Theſe men are not drunken as ye ſuppoſe ſeeing it is but the third hour of the day. (that is, Nine of the Clock in the Morning) ſo that Six in the Morning was the firſt hour of their day. And Mat. 27.45. Now from the Sixth hour (that is Twelve of the Clock at noon-day) there was darkneſs to the Ninth hour (i. e. Three of the Clock in the Afternoon). And conſequently the Twelfth hour was Six of the Clock at Evening, the period of their day. And proportionably was the reckoning of their Night.
¶. 1. Now as Moſes put back the account, ſaying, Levit 23.32. From Evening to Evening ſhall ye celebrate your Sabbath. And upon that footing of the account Exod. 12.41, 42. And it came to paſs at the end of the Four hundred and thirty Years, even the the ſelf ſame day it came to paſs, that all the Hosts of Lord went out from the Land of Aegypt. It is a NIGHT to be much obſerved unto the Lord, for bringing them out of the Land of Aegypt, this is that Night of the Lord to be obſerved of all the Children of Iſrael, in their Generations. I ſay, as Moſes thus put back the account, to begin the Sabbath-day at the Evening before, viz. from Six of the Clock that Evening, to continue to Six of the Clock at Evening of the next enſuing day: So Chriſt re-aſſumed and brought forward all that day Light, and put it to the next day, with which, together with the Night following he made a new diſtinct day, by riſing early in the Morning of that new-made day; having put an end to the Jewiſh Sabbath. Mat. 28.1. In the END of the Sabbath (Chriſt then put an end to the Jewiſh Sabbath) when it began foreign to dawn with ſome Light towards the FIRST DAY of the week; in which riſing, Chriſt ceaſed (as Learned Weemſe notes, according to Heb. 4.10.) from his own Works, N. B.as God did from his.
¶. 2. 'Tis true (as ye have heard) that this day in the whole Matter, was the Jews Seventh day Sabbath. But when (as hath been explained) Chriſt had new formed and bounded it, by reſtoring its Evening to it, and ſo making it as a new day in that reſpect; then was it called the FIRST DAY of the week; becauſe it was the primeſt day of the week, and was the beginning of the Chriſtians new Meaſure, and Accompt of days; oppoſite to that old Meaſure, and Accompt that Moſes delivered to Iſrael, Lev. 23.32.
CHAP. V. The reaſon why Gen. 1. Of every days work it is ſaid, The Evening and the morning made one day, the Evening being put before the Morning; contrary to our Aſſertion. CHAP. 3. And §. 1. In giving the reaſon whereof, is ſet forth the true Nature of thoſe Six days wherein God Created the World.
Sect. 1.
Obj. IF it be objected, That before Iſraels coming out of Aegypt, the Evening, which is, as aforeſaid the Artificial Night, was ſet before the Morning, which is the Artificial Day; both being the two parts of the Natural Day; Gen. 1.5. &c. The Evening and the Morning were the Firſt Day, Second Day, Third Day, Fourth Day &c. We anſwer,
¶. 1. Thoſe days were Creational days; Not Natural days of Twenty four hours, meaſured out by the Sun circling the Earth, once every Natural day: But they were Creational days, peculiar to the Creation, wherein God did work every days work, producing Entities out of Nonentities; Habits out of privations; and reſted the Seventh Day.
¶. 2. They were extraordinary days, not meaſured out by the Motion of the Sun (as now) For in the firſt, ſecond, and third of thoſe days there was no Sun as yet in being to meaſure them.
¶. 3. And they were Ʋniverſal days, that is, when it was day, it was day over the univerſal World; when it was Night it was Night every where over the whole Univerſe, both in regard of the beginning and ending of the Day and the Night. To make it more plain, that theſe were Ʋniverſal days, let us conſider an inſtance or two.
The Univerſal day explained by inſtances in one Day.The Firſt Day was ſuch a day, as when it began any where, it began every where. No where then, was it no day: nor any other then the Firſt day of God's Creation. There was in Nature before, though not before in time, a mixture of Light and Darkneſs. Gen. 1.2. But when God had out of it formed the Light, and made it ſhine out of that Duskiſhneſs, dividing the Light from the Darkneſs, ſo as they ſhould never be both in one Hemiſphere, but orderly each ſucceeding the other, God then called that Light ſo divided by the name of Day, that is, Daylight. And that Darknes ſo divided he called Night; that is, the Nights darkneſs. The full Revolution of both which was the Firſt Day. In this diviſion of the Light and Darkneſs, or Day and Night, though the Night was before the Day in one Hemiſphere (that is over one half of the World); And the Day before the Night in the other Hemiſphere: 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 ſame may be ſaid of the Second and Third Day before the Sun, Moon, and Stars were Created.
Yea, likewiſe the Fourth Day, in which the Sun, Moon, and Stars were Created (if they) moved as ſoon as they were Created) was notwithſtanding an Univerſal Day (that ſo all Seven might in a juſt proportion of length and number anſwer to one another). When it was the Fourth day any where, it was the Fourth day every where. I ſay not Day-light every where, but it was the Fourth day conſiſting of Day-light, and Night-darkneſs. A Caution to the Reader.The Reader muſt always diſtinguiſh between a Day, and Day-light. Now though it is not revealed in what hour, or time of the Fourth day the Sun, Moon, and Stars were Created (the whole Fourth Day being allotted by the Divine Story, N. B.to and for their Creation) yet this muſt, by natural neceſſity, be granted, That when the Sun firſt appeared to the World on that Fourth day, it was at that time, over ſome part of the Globe of the Earth, making it to be Noon there, and in all places within that Hemiſphere, which were in the ſame Meridian with the Sun. 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 Noon was before either of the other; and in ſome other places Midnight 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 Suns 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 Sun-riſing, as where it was Noon. And likewiſe it was then the Fourth Day alſo, in the other part of the Earth, to which the Moon or Stars firſt appeared. For, neither Sun, Moon, or Stars appear'd to any place on the Third Day, which was the day before they were made; and the Fifth Day was not then begun. The ſame may be ſaid of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Day, when either of theſe days began, it was after Sun-ſetting in ſome places, and before Sun-riſing in ſome other places; and it was then Noon in ſome places, and Mid-night in ſome other places; yet all are of, and upon the ſame Day.
Seeing then theſe were Univerſal Days, and ſo no Man can tell where on Earth thoſe places are, at which it was Sun-riſing, or Sun-ſetting, or Noon, or Midnight; or when the Sun firſt ſhined forth to the World, or when half of that Fourth-Day, or when it was fully ended: I ſay therefore theſe days, theſe Univerſal days, cannot be made the footing of the Accompt for the meaſuring out of our Artificial Day and Night, the parts of the Natural Day. Our ordinary Seven days cannot derive their Number, and beginning from the ſaid Ʋniverſal Days to an hour.
¶. 4. We anſwer, That Moſes wrote the Book of Geneſis, when he had been Inſpired by the appearance of God to him, calling him, and enabling him to that Miraculous Work of bringing Iſrael out of Aegypt, Exod. 3.2. So that he wrote that Book after Iſraels coming out of Aegypt; at which deliverance their Year, Month, and Day was changed, Exod. 12.41.42. Levit. 23.32. The Natural Day was now to begin at Evening (as aforeſaid) whereas before that it began in the Morning (as we have ſhew'd.) Therefore, if Moſes ſhould now have ſaid, Gen. 1. The Morning and the Evening was the Firſt, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh Day, putting the Morning before the Evening, he might have ſeemed thereby to have diſliked the ſaid Change appointed by God as aforeſaid, of making the Evening the beginning of each day, after their coming out of Aegypt.
CAP. VI. Of the Reaſon why the Jews muſt change the beginning of the Day (as aforeſaid:) and ſo of the Day from our Sunday, or Lord's-day to the Jews Saturday (as they commonly call it).
Sect. 1.
THE Firſt Reaſon was for a Memorial, or Memorandum of their deliverance out of Aegypt as before proved.
Sect. 2.
The Second was, becauſe the Heathens did Dedicate and Celebrate the Ancient Sunday (that was obſerved piouſly to God, before Iſraels coming out of Aegypt) to the Sun, the Heathen I ſay Dedicated it to worſhip that Planet on that day. And for that reaſon the Lord would not have the Jews to obſerve it any longer, but would have them change it.
¶. 1. Thus God of old, would not have his people uſe the names of lawful things, nor mention ſuch names, which the Idolaters were wont to uſe, Hoſ. 2.16.17. It ſhall be at that day, ſaith the Lord, that thou ſhalt call me ISHI, and ſhalt call me no more BAALIM. For I will take away the Names of BAALIM out of her mouth, &c. Why would not the Lord be called Baalim but Iſhi ſeeing both fignifie the ſame thing, that is, My Husband, or my Lord? The Reaſon was, becauſe Baal was the name that Heathens gave to their Gods. And therefore God would have the name of Baalim (the plural of Baal) to be utterly removed out of the mouths of his people.
¶. 2. For the ſame Reaſon he would not have his people to obſerve the Ancient Sunday in uſe before Iſraels return from Aegypt, becauſe the Heathen called it by that name, in relation to their Worſhiping the Sun on that day. And therefore God would have the day changed. This will more appear in the next Chapter.
CAP. VII. Touching the Ancient Sunday, and the obſervation thereof, by Jews and Heathens, before Iſraels deliverence out of Aegypt.
Sect. I.
TIS untradictably probable, beyond all demonſtration to the contrary, and with fair reaſon on our part, that the ancient Sunday (for ſolemn Worſhip of God) before Iſraels return from Aegypt (which Sunday is now our LORD'S DAY) was obſerved by the Patriarchs before the Flood, and by them after the Flood, in honour to the true God who had Created that wonderful frame of Heaven, and in it that tranſcendent ſhining Planet the Sun, whom that is God that Creator, they of the Patriarches before the Flood, worſhiped on that day, by imitation of God's reſting on the Seventh day of his Creation; which is urged in the Fourth Commandement as to a Seventh day Sabbath, if not to THE Seventh day Sabbath, which we now obſerve, as our Lords-day: of which more after. N. B.I note it chiefly here to intimat, that Gods example of reſting the Seventh day at the Creation, hath in it, an Argument for Imitation, that his people ſhould obſerve that moſt ancient Sunday of which we ſpeak; that example of God's reſting being then freſher to the Patriarchs and thoſe times by Two thouſand of years, then at the giving of the Moral Law. And the practiſe of the aftertimes do much ſhew us, what was the practiſe of former-times; Men being very apt to follow their Fore-fathers in the outward profeſſion of Religion: And to uſe thoſe forms of ſpeech relating to Religion, which of old were wont to be uſed. The Patriarches therefore before the Flood, no doubt called and accompted God to be their Sun in a figurative ſenſe as the Patriarches that were after the Flood, and their ſucceeding Generations did likewiſe, Num. 6.25. Aaron and his Sons ſhall on this wiſe bleſs the Children of Iſrael, ſaying unto them; The Lord bleſs thee, and keep thee, the Lord make HIS FACE TO SHINE ƲPON thee. So, Deut 33.1, 2. And this is the bleſſing wherewith Moſes the man of God bleſſed the Children of Iſrael before his death; And he ſaid the Lord came from Sinai, and roſe up from Seir unto them; he SHINED FORTH from Mount Paran. And Job (at leaſt as ancient as Moſes, if not ancienter) argues with God, that he would not ſhine upon the Wicked, and therefore would not oppreſs or deſpiſe him; that is, would SHINE upon him. And it is a common phraſe with David in Prayer to ſay, Make thy face to SHINE upon me, or upon us, Pſal. 31.16. Pſal. 71.1. And Pſal. 8. It is the burden or foot of the divine Song. And Pſal. 84. ver. 11. He calls God by the name of the Sun, The Lord God (ſaith he) is a SƲN and a Shield to them that walk uprightly. And Malac. 4.2. He viz. Chriſt is called the SƲN of Righteouſneſs with healing in his wings, that is in his Beams.
Sect. 2.
Now as 'tis true that the Pious Patriarchs of old, in a figurative ſenſe calling and accompting God to be as their Sun, did call and accompt their weekly ſolemn day of their Solemn Worſhip of him, by the name of Sunday, or Suns-day, See before Chap. 7.or day of the Sun (as aforeſaid): So it is as true (which further confirms the Section next before) that Idolatrous Heathen, of very ancient times, and downward, in imitation of the Jews Worſhiping the true God, their Metaphorical Sun, did on the ſaid Sunday, worſhip the Material and Natural Sun, and upon that accompt called it their Sunday, or Day of the Sun.
For we know that Idolaters were always the Apes (as Divines call them) of true Religion. Upon their miſ-apprehenſions, and mal-applications of divine Inſpirations and Inſtitutions given by God to Godly men, they grounded their Idolatrous Superſtitions. Of many, take but two or three Inſtances. viz. Becauſe Abraham (whiles there was no ſolemn ſet place appointed of God for Worſhip) built an Altar on the Mountain neer Bethel, Gen. 12.8. and Chap. 13.4.and there called on the name of the Lord, the true God, And likewiſe he planted a Grove in Beer-ſheba and there called on the name of the Lord, Gen. …1.33.the Everlaſting God: And prepared all things at God's command to offer up his Son Iſaac for a burnt-offering, though afterwards he was forbidden the Execution: Therefore Idolaters planted Groves, Gen. 22.and Worſhiped in High-places, their Idols, and made their Children to paſs through the fire to them; mentioned as high Crimes, throughout the Old Teſtament. Even ſuch is the Riſe of the higheſt Idolatry, to wit, of worſhiping of falſe Gods. That becauſe Godly men Worſhiped the true God according to his divine Inſpirations, and Inſtitutions; therefore Idolaters it an inique and unequel imitation Worſhiped their falſe Gods, according to their own inventions. And this Idolatry is moſt Ancient, N. B.and practiſed by Abraham Terah, and Nachor in Chaldea, before they were called out, Joſh. 24. v. 3.and Converted from it. Gen. 12.31. And Chap. 12.1.Now to draw down our diſcourſe to the particular point in hand.
¶. 2. The great and Univerſal Monarches Saturnus Babylonicus, and Belus his Son, and other Potentates of Aſſyria, and Chaldea having Idolatrouſly ſe… up the whole Hoſt of Heaven, i. e The Sun, Moon, and Stars to be their Gods; it is not imaginable that they would Dedicate any other day to the honour of their greateſt God, viz. the Sun, the… the day which the Patriarchs before the Flood Dedicated to God the Creator of the Sun. which doth further appear, in that thoſe Worſhippers of the Sun, having robbed God of his Worſhip, they robbed him alſo of his Name. For Nimrod having given to the Sun (his greateſt God) the Name of Baal; …e afterwards aſſumed that name …o himſelf. *Jo. Gr. Aſſyr. Monarch.And Belus giving, …o their greateſt God the Sun, …he name of Jove (the Contract of Jehovah) the ſaid Belus afterwards took that name to himſelf, and was called Jove Bel.*Idem Biblian.
¶. 3. And moreover, ſeeing …he Idolaters aſſigned to every of their Seven Planet-Gods one of the ſeven days in the week; …o conſidering ſober man can …hink otherwiſe, but that they would Dedicate and Celebrate …o their greateſt God, the SƲN, (whom they called God of Gods, and Lord of Lords) the day formerly obſerved and celebrated to the great and true God of Heaven and Earth, rather then to the Moon and Mercury, or other their inferior Gods. And therefore nothing can be more probable, then that the Seventh day with the ancient Patriarchs, was no other but that which afterwards was the SUN-DAY, Sonnes-day, or Day of, or to the Sun, with the Aſſyrians; and from them was called Sunday, or Day of the Sun by other Nations alſo, as the other days of the week were called by the other names of the Planets, as we do to this day; viz. Moonday, Tueſday, Wedneſday, Thurſday, Friday, Saturday, all Saxon names of the Six inferiour Planet-Gods. Whereupon, as I ſaid before, this was one reaſon why the Lord changed to the Jews the Seventh day from our Sunday to the Jews Saturday.
CHAP. VIII. Proving that the Heathen Gentiles did of old in all Countries, and Generations Worſhip the Sun.
Sect. 1.
HAving ſhew'd how, and by what means the Heathen Gentiles of old took cognizance of the Supereminency of Sunday, or day of the Sun; and hinted that they on that day worſhiped the Sun: Now for Confirmation of it, and to make way to that which muſt follow, it is requiſite that I ſhould prove [That the Heathen Gentiles did …n all Countries and Generations of old, Worſhip the Sun.]
¶. 1. The Aſſyrians with the help of the Chaldeans ſet up the Idolatry of Worſhiping the Hoſt of Heaven, viz. Sun Moon, and the reſt of the Planets Macrob. Saturn. l. 1. c. 9.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. And Rabbi Maimonides, one of the ſobereſt of the Jewiſh Writers (as ſome Learned aſſert) affirms, That from the days of Enoſh, the Stars were Worſhiped as Gods. After which time, the great God was generally forgotten. No man ſcarcely knew the true God but Enoch, Methuſalah, Noah, Sem. and Heber. De Jol. 1.Queſt. Thus Maimonides *Maimon.Some (yea and of the Learned) Quaere, How Maimonides ſhould come to know what he hath ſaid. Anſ. 1 To this firſt we Anſwer from Gen. 4.26. And to Seth was born a SON and he called his name ENOS: then began men (ſaith our Engliſh Tranſlation) to call upon the Name of the Lord. But the Learned H. Broughton, *Broughtons works in Folio p. 11. p. 64. p. 219. p. 339. Preſented it to King J…s in Print.five times at leaſt, in his Works blame this Tranſlation, and thus Tranſlates it, Alſo to Seth was born a Son and he called his name (Sorrowful) Enos. Then had ſprung up prophaneneſs, inſtead of calling upon the name of the Eternal. And gives theſe reaſons. 1. At Enos Birth Religion is ſorrowfully corrupted, through Marriage with Cain's Houſe. Enos Sorrowful, and Kenan Lamentable ſo called, for Idolatry then ariſing. For he ſaith in another place of his Works, That the Ten Fathers or Patriarchs, before the Flood, had names given to them Conſignificant to the time. And 2. Becauſe preſently, in the next Chapter ſave one, Moſes tells us, viz. in Chap. 6. is the declining of the Sons of God, in Religion; and of the coming of the Flood. And it ſeems by Nicholas de Lyra, That the Learned Jews did underſtand this Scripture of the corrupting Religion in thoſe times. The Chalde… Paraphraſe likewiſe Tranſlates foreign The Sons of Men gave off from calling upon the name of the Lord. And in that Edition in 4o. Printed at London of that accurate Tranſlation of the Bible, by F. Junius a Learned Chriſtian, and J. Tremelius a Pious and Learned Jew, Printed at London, this Text is thus Tranſlated, Tunc coeptum eſt profanari in invocando nomine Jehovae, That is, then began men to be Prophane in calling upon the name of Jehovah. And ſutable are his notes upon the place. Tunc ſub Enoſchi tempora Caeptum eſt profanari, id eſt, Alii poſteri Schethi, apud quos manſura eſt Eccleſia a Caiinitis corrupti, caeperunt prophanare ſe. In invocando] i. e. in cultu Dei, vide (inquit) Cap. 5.22, & cap. 6.2. Now this Enos living above Five hundred years before the Flood, ſhews us no ſmall antiquity of Idolatry. 2. We anſwer to the Quaere, That the knowledg of the Planetary Idolatry might come down to the Ancient Rabbies by ſure Tradition. For as Sem lived about an hundred years before the Flood, when the Planets were deemed to be the Univerſal Governors of the World; So he lived long, viz. Five hundred years after the Flood. Though he lived not to Moſes's time, yet did he live till Abraham was an old Man, if he did not live after Abraham's Burial. Before which time, the Idolatrous Worſhiping of the Hoſt of Heaven, was ſet up by the Aſſyrians and Chaldeans, Joſh. 24.2, 3. &c. as aforeſaid.
¶. 2. As the Chaldeans had the Sun for their Supream God, everlaſtingly Governing not only the reſt of the Planets, but all things elſe: even ſo had other Nations alſo, the Sun for their chiefeſt Governour of the World. For thus they argued; Si Sol ut placuit veteribus, Dux eſt, & Moderator reliquorum luminum, &c. That is, If the Sun (as it was the opinion of Men in ancient times) be the chief, and Governour of other Luminaries, he alone ſurmounting in excellencie the other Planets, according to the vertue of whoſe Motions, the order of all human affairs is diſpoſed; it neceſſarily followeth that we ſhould acknowledge the Sun, who governs thoſe, that governs our affairs, to be the Author of all things, that are brought to paſs among us (a)Macrob. in Somno Scip. Lib. 16. Cap. 2. To the ſame effect Gloſſ. mag. in Gen. c. 1. Diodor. Sicul. Ant. l. 1 c. 2.To come to particular Nations, The PERSIANS Worſhiped the SƲN for their God. For Simeon the A. Biſhop of Salucia was Martyred by them becauſe he would not Worſhip the Sun. So Ʋſthaſar, Guardian and Educator of Saporis, then King of Perſia, was by him Martyred, becauſe being Converted by the ſaid Simeon, refuſed to Worſhip the Sun, (b)of theſe things, and ſee at large in Sozom. Eccleſ. Hiſt l. 2 cap. 8.The AEGYPTIANS likewiſe Worſhiped the SƲN Saying, The Sun and Moon were everlaſting Gods, and Governours of all things (c)Euſeb. de preparat. Evang. l. 1. cap. 9.. This Idolatry was in Aegypt long before Joſeph, or Jacob, or any of his Poſterity ſet footing in Aegypt. N. B.Touching that their Idolatry, worſhiping the SƲN. See Jer. 43.12, 13. Babylon ſhall kindle a Fire in the Houſes of the God of Aegypt; and he ſhall break in pieces the Images of (foreign) Beth-ſhemeſh, that is the Houſe of the Sun. And ſo Arias Montan. Tranſlates it. And ſo doth the Sept by foreign, That is the City of the Sun. And touching the Antiquity of that Idolatrous Sun-worſhiping in Aegypt, that it was in uſe there, long before Joſeph, or Jacob, or any of his Poſterity were in Aegypt, it is evidently held forth to us in Gen. 41. v. 45. And Pharaoh call'd Joſeph's name Zapnath-paaneah; and he gave him to Wife Aſenath the Daughter of Potiphera PRIEST OF ON; which laſt Clauſe the Sept. render (foreign) Of Potiphera the Priest of the City of the Sun, which the vulgar Latin imitates ſaying, Sacerdotis Heliopoleos. And this Antiquity of Sun-worſhiping Idolatry is a conſiderable Notion, N. B.to ſtrengthen that before, touching the Ancient Patriarchs weekly worſhip of God the Creator of the Sun, upon the Sunday. For Truth is ancienter then Error; and Religious Worſhip, then Idolatrous. And the brutiſh Barbarians could not ſo much turn Votaries, as to Worſhip the Sun, without ſome pattern (which they corruptly followed) of them that Worſhiped the God of the Sun. We know that but One thouſand ſix hundred years ſince (which is but as yeſterday, to the Ancient Patriarches) it was the Heathen Romans opinion, That the Chriſtians riſing before day-light, and ſinging of Pſalms, was but to Worſhip the Sun-riſing (d)Plin. 2. Fox Mart.. The PHENICIANS alſo had the SUN for their God. And the Idol in which they worſhiped the Sun was called Heliogabalus (e)Herodot. de vita Imper. Lib. 5.. Moreover the SUN was the TROJANES God. They had many Gods, but the chiefeſt was the Sun and Pallas. The Image of Pallas, they eſteemed the Protectreſs of Troy, and her Image (called Palladium) to be ſent them from the Sun; which they kept in the Tower, or Temple of Phaebus (that is of the Sun) and there they adored it. And Pantheus was the Prieſt of the Sun when Troy was taken (f)Auſtin de Civit. Dei. l. 1. cap. 2. & Virg. Aene. Lib. 2.. Yea the SUN was the GRECIANS God. In Athens their chief City, the place of giving Judgment, was to be open to the SUN, preſuming that the Judge durſt not give a wrong judgment in the face of the SUN, who is ſaid by Homer (g)Iliad. l. 3.to have (foreign &c.) A revenging Eye, who ſeeth, and heareth all things (h)Homer. Lib. 3.which is the property of God alone ſaith Plato (i)Plat. de Legibus.. The Judge of the Court had his Name from the SUN, and was therefore called foreign q. d. The Sun-Judge. And the Judgment foreign, as much as to ſay The Judgment of the SUN. The ROMANS, the Poſterity of the Trojan Fugitives, did under ſeveral Formes and Names, as of Janus, Apollo, Dydemaeus, &c. Worſhip the SUN. (k)Macrob. Saturn lib. 1. c. 17.The inhuman Nation of the SCYTHIANS, though they acknowledg no other God, yet they Worſhip the SUN as God, and offer up to him an Horſe, the ſwifteſt of Cattel, becauſe the SUN is the ſwifteſt of Creatures (l)Boë. ubi de Scythea.In a word, The AETHIOPIANS, CATHANES, TARTARS, and the reſt of the Pagan-Nations Worſhiped the SUN (m)So Boemus writeing of their manners and Cuſtoms. So D. Fr. White..
CHAP. IX. Proving that our SUN-DAY or LORD'S-DAY was, with the Heathen Gentiles, the SEVENTH day of the Week, for their ſolemn day of Worſhip, and is continued with us Chriſtians, to be our weekly SEVENTH day of ſolemn Worſhip.
Sect. 1.
WE need not ſpend time and words to prove a known thing, That a Week is a portion of time, meaſured out by ſeven days of the ſame kind, c1ontinued without interval. If any of the Seven days be Horizontal, that is from Sun-riſing to Sun-riſing; or from Sunſet, to Sunſet; or Meridional, that is, from Noon to noon, or from Midnight to Midnight; then all muſt be Horizontal, as the Jews days of their week were, from Sunſet to Sunſet. Or all muſt be Meridional, as the Chriſtians week conſiſting of Seven days, from Midnight to Midnight. So that from Saturday to Saturday, from Sunday to Sunday, from Munday to Munday is a week.
¶. 1. Accordingly the Nation of the Romans in their Language called the Week Septimana; that is Seven Mornings. The Saxons in their Tongue called it a Sennight. The Greeks called it foreign, that is, the ſpace of Seven days. And ſo the Hebrews call a Week foreign, that is a Seven days ſpace.
¶. 2. And likewiſe by Scripture accompt, Seven days, from any ſet time, is counted a Week. Laban Gen. 29.27. bid Jacob fulfil her Week, that is the Seven days of Leahs Nuptials. For that was the uſual time in Solemnizing Marriages. Judg. 14.12. So alſo is a week meaſured out by Seven days, Levit. 12. v. 2, 3, 5.
Sect. 2.
Nor need we to mind the difference between A Seventh day (every day of the week being a Seventh) and THE Seventh day, which is the term, period, and boundaries of the week.
Sect. 3.
The firſt main thing we have to prove is, That our Sunday (which we call the Lord's day) was the SEVENTH DAY of the week with the Heathen Gentiles. As for our proof it muſt be partly by reaſon, and partly by quotation of Learned Authors (both Chriſtians and Heathens) whither we muſt ſend the Reader, if he believes not our breviat; for neither can this little Pamphlet brook long narrations, nor can our Occaſions ſpare time to write them out at large.
¶. 1. For reaſon, thus we argue: If Adam being Created the Sixth day at the cloſe of all God's Works (now entring upon his reſt) had not thence learned, what was a Natural Day, and what was a Week, and how the Seventh day was the boundary thereof (before he could come to know by experience, what was a MonethMonth, by the Motion of the Moon; or what a Year by the Motion of the Sun;) he could not have told how for a long time to have meaſured out his Age. Doubtleſs therefore he learned from the Standard of Gods working Six days, and reſting the Seventh, what was a Day, a Week, and the boundary thereof; and thereby meaſured out the time of his Life, and ſo it was kept, and left upon Record for after Ages. Months and Years among ſeveral Nations have much varied: but never was the Week counted to be more or leſs then Seven days, N. B.with any people.
¶. 2. For Authors: The ancient Beda witneſſeth, That the Reſt on the Seventh day (Semper celebrari ſolet) was wont always to be celebrated. (a)Bed. in his Hexameron.Likewiſe Philo-Judaeus maketh this bold challenge, Quis Sacrum illum diem per ſingulas hebdomadas recurrentem non honorat. (b)Phil. De vita Moſis. Lib. 2.That is, Who is there that doth not honour that SACRED day returning each Septinary of Seven days. To the ſame purpoſe Joſephus: Neque eſt ulla Civitas Graecorum, aut Barbarorum; ae que ULLA GENS, ad quam SEPTIMI diei, in quo VACAMUS Conſuetudo, minime pervenerit. (c)Joſ. contra Ap. Lib. 2.That is, There is neither any City of the Greeks, or of the Barbarians, nor ANY NATION to whom the Cuſtom of the Seventh day, in which we REST hath not come. Learned Mercer, commended for ſuch, (d)Heyl. part 1. p. 5.by Dr. Heylin, was of Opinion (as he ſaith) That the firſt Fathers being taught of God, kept the Seventh day holy to … (e)Chryſoſt Hom. 10. in Gen.Chryſoſtom ſaith, Ja…c ab initio &c. God hath inſinuated into us from the very beginning of the World this Doctrin, inſtructing us thereof in the Circle of the Week, THAT ONE WHOLE DAY ſhould be ſet apart, and laid out for Spiritual Actions. (f) Aug. Steuchius, ſpeaking of the Seventh day affirmeth IT TO HAVE BEEN (in omni aetate, inter omnes Gentes, venerabilis & Sacer) VENERABLE and SACRED IN ALL AGES, AMONG ALL NATIONS (g)Steuch. on Gen. 2.And our Book of Homiles 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 Labours. We will conclude this Paragraph with the Teſtimony of the moſt ancient Heathen Gr. Poets, as Homer the ancienteſt, Heſiod next, and Callimachus and Linus who have ſpoken very hon…ably of the Creation, and o… Seventh Day, Their words are ſet down at large by Clemens Alexandrinus, (h)Clem Strom. l. 5.: Euſebeus (i)Euſeb. de preparat. Evang. L. 13. c. 17.Rivet, (k)Rivet. on Gen. c. 2. & in his De…ert. de Orig. Sab.. Now this laudable Opinion of the Sunday (now ou… Lord's Day) they could not have from the Books of Moſes; for they were not extant in the Greek Tongue, till Ptolomy procured the Seventy Tranſlators to Tranſlate it into Greek, which was many hundreds of years after Homer aforeſaid. Beſides, whiles the Kingdom of Iſrael and Judah flouriſhed the Gentiles got not a Script of the Sacred Scriptures. And the Jews thought it a prophaning of Moſes's Writings to communicate any of them to the Heathens. And Mr. John Gregory doth prove, (l)Jo. Greg. his diſcourſe of the Sept.That before that Tranſlation of the Septuagint, the Gentiles had no light from the Books of Moſes. Therefore (note it well) it muſt n… follow, N. B.That the Heathen-Gentiles had that honourable opinion, and ſpake ſo laudably of the SUN DAY by very ancient ſucceſſive Tradition, amongſt themſelves. Now this Seventh day of which they ſo well thought and ſpake, could not be the Jews Saturday-Sabbath. For the Heathen utterly diſliked it, N. B.and diſdainfully counted it an innovation, brought in by Moſes; and therefore the Poets would commonly have one Laſh, or another at it, and never ſpoke honourably of it. Therefore it muſt be the ancient SUNDAY (before Moſes's time, and after that, among the Heathen) that was by the Heathens honoured as the Seventh-day of the Week, the high day of their prime, and ſolemn Worſhip every Week called by them their Sunday; and by us called the Lord's day: Of which more in the next …aragraph.
¶. 3. The Adverſaries themſelves do grant, that the day of the Sun or Sunday, was with the Heathen Gentiles the Seventh day, and Sacred with them. But it was ſay they the Seventh day of the Month, and not the Seventh day of the Week. Againſt which, we muſt boldly aſſert the contrary, viz. That the day of the Sun was the Seventh day of the Week, and Sacred with the Gentiles, and not the Seventh day of the MonethMonth. To warrant this Aſſertion, we have not only much in the Authors cited in the former Paragraph, but alſo in Clemens Alexandrinus, and Euſebeus, alledging the afore named Poets to ſhew particularly, That the Heathen Gentiles held the Seventh day of the Week Sacred with them. And moreover in the Greek Calender, there is no mention at all of a Seventh day of the Month. Had there been any ſuch thing, they that obſerve therein things of leſſer conſequence, would have obſerved that much more *Scalig. De emendat. temp. de Calendario Attico.Adde that Decree of Miltiades (the laſt Biſhop of Rome that was a Martyr); who, that he might make a difference between the Obſervation of Sunday, by Chriſtians, and the Obſervation of the ſame Sunday by the Heathen, decreed, That all Gentiles that were turned Chriſtians, ſhould not Faſt on Sundays, as other Gentiles did. *Binii Concil. And Plat. Divita Miltiadis.For in thoſe times, Sacred days were called by the Heathen Faſts; Becauſe they abſtained from feeding themſelves till their Services were ended. Thus of the proof of the firſt main thing intended in this Ninth Chapter is, viz. That the Weekly day, to wit, the Seventh day every Week, with the Gentiles, which they call the day of the Sun, or Sunday, was the very ſame day which we call THE LORD'S DAY. We have already, in ſeveral Sections and Paragraphs of the fore-going Chapters, dropped ſome proofs of this. But now we ſhall bring more particularly, direct and expreſs Teſtimonies to this point.
¶. 1. Dr. F. White, and Dr. Heylin (though they were Oppoſers of the Morality of the Sabbath) do confeſs, That Chriſtians of the firſt ages, becauſe they obſerved the Sunday for their Sacred Services bowing in Prayer towards the Eaſt, were upbraided for Worſhippers of the Sun; though they neither Worſhiped the Sun as the Heathen, nor called the day, of their Worſhiping God, Sunday, as they called it; but the Lord's day being their Sabbath, or Sacred day of REST to the Lord. Therefore if Sunday had not been with the Heathen (who were Sun Worſhippers indeed) a weekly day of ſolemn Worſhip, there had been no cauſe of that upbraiding by the Jews, or Heathen-Gentiles. (a)White of the Sabbath and Heylin part 2. p. 53.But we have more approved Authors then theſe, as it follows,
¶. 2. Sozomen telleth us, That Constantine Commanded Diem Dominicum quem Hebraei primum Hebdomadae appellant, & craeci Solis deputant a cunctis celebrari. (b)Sozom. Eccleſ. Hiſtor. L. 1. c. 8.That is, Conſtantine commanded that the Lords day which the Jews call the Firſt day of the week, and the Greeks depute to the Sun, to be celebrated of all. Whence it is juſtly inferred, That Conſtantine then held, That the Day which the Heathen-Greeks deputed to the Sun, was the very ſame which we call the Lord's day.
¶. 3. Coeli Rhodignin, tells us, Nos jure optimo, diem quem Mathematici Solis vocant, Domino aſcripſimus, dicavimuſque, & illius Cultui totum mancipavimus; That is, with the greateſt Equity we have aſcribed, and Dedicated to the Lord, and wholly given up to his Worſhip, that day which the Mathematicians call THE DAY OF THE SƲN (c)Coel. Rho. Antiq. L. 13. c. 22..
¶. 4. Bonaventure tells of the pious fraud that Chriſtians acted, to rob the Sun of its Idolatrous Worſhip, and transfer the obſervation of that day to Chriſt, His Words are theſe, Secundum Gentiles, dies Dominicus primus est; Cum Principio illius diei incipit dominari principalis Planeta Sol: propter quod vocabant eundem Diem Solis; & exhibebant ei venerationem. Ʋt ergo error ille excluderetur, & reverentia cultus Solis Deo exhiberetur, praefixa fuit Dominica Dies, qua populus Chriſtianus vacaret cultui Divino (d)Bonavent. 3. Diſt 37.That is; According to the Heathen the LORD'S DAY is a CHIEF day; when in the beginning of that day, the Principle Planet the SUN, begins to Rule: For which cauſe they called it the Day of the SUN, and gave Worſhip thereunto. To the intent therefore, that Error might be ſhut out of doors, and that reverence of Worſhip of the Sun might be given to God, The LORD'S DAY was prefixed, wherein the Chriſtian people gave themſelves to Divine Worſhip. For a cloſe of this Chapter we add a Fifth Paragraph.
¶. 5. Juſtin Martyr doth diverſe times in his Works, call the LORD'S DAY (foreign) THE DAY OF THE SƲN, as then the Gentiles or Greeks called it. (e)Juſt. Mar. Apol. 2 pro Chriſtian. & 2. centur.So alſo Tertullian, ſometimes calles it, Diem Solis; Sunday ſometimes Diem Dominicum, The Lord's day. And in the Edicts of Constantine, Valentinian, Valens, Gratian, Honorius, Arcadius, & Theodoſius (all of them Chriſtian Princes) our LORDS DAY is commonly called Dies Solis, Sunday.