A tract on the Sabbath-Day wherein the keeping of the first-day of the week a Sabbath is justified by a divine command and a double example contained in the Old and New Testament : with answers to the chiefest objections made by the Jewish seventh-day Sabbatharians and others / by Isaac Marlow.

SECT. VII.

HEre I shall prove both from the Holy Scriptures and the Course and Necessity of Nature, that the Jewish seventh-day Sabbath is Ceremonial, and not Morally binding to all Na∣tions. And

1. This appeareth, in that it was not only a sign to Israel, as our Gospel Sabbath considered, as the seventh-day is to us, that in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, and on the seventh-day he rested; but it was also a Sign and a Covenant throughout their Generations, that they should remember that Israel was a Servant in the Land of Egypt, and that the Lord their God brought them out thence through a Mighty hand and by a stretched out Arm; Therefore (saith Moses) the Lord their God commanded them to keep the Sabbath-day. So then as their Sabbath was a Sign of their deliverance out of Egypt (with respect to their Beginning and Ending of it, from Evening to Evening, thereby to suit their other new days Beginning from their first Passover Evening, and so to keep that deliverance in fresher Memory) it is Ceremonial, and ceaseth as other Sabbaths and Memorials of that Deliverance have done, by the coming of Jesus Christ.

2. The old Jewish seventh-day Sabbath is proved to be Cere∣monial, by the Apostles Words, Col. 2.16, 17. Let no Man there∣fore judge you in Meat or in Drink, or in respect of an Holy-day, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in part of a Feast, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath-days: Which are a shadow of things to come, but the Body is of Christ. For as the Holy-day or Feast-days, New Moon and Sabbaths herein mentioned, must be taken for those written by Moses and given to Israel, because those only (and not the Heathen Idolatrous Holy-days) were given of God as Types and Sha∣dows of good things to come, so the Sabbath-days there di∣stinctly expressed from other Holy-days appointed for the Obser∣vation of Israel, must be taken for their weekly seventh-days Sab∣bath, and the two Verses plainly comprehends all their Sabbaths

and Holy-days to be but Shadows of Things to come. But (saith the Text) the Body is of Christ.

Object. But some do say, the Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Sabbaths here ought to be rendred Weeks, as the same Greek Word is rendred, John 20.19. Luke 24.1. Mark 16.2. Matth. 28.1.

Answer. The Word Sabbath, in Greek Sabbaton, used in those places, is not there translated Week, for any other Reason than because it was customary to call the days of the Week, the days of the Sabbath, as the Greek Word Sabbaton properly signifies, but in the Text, Col. 2.16. the Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of the Sabbaths (for so it is in the Greek, and not Sabbath-days as we translate it) is not their joined, as in those other places, to express any particular day of the Week, but stands singly of its self for Sabbaths; and therefore can only be understood of the Sabbath-days themselves, which the Word properly signi∣fies, and cannot be otherwise understood, but at least compre∣hensively of the seventh-day weekly Sabbath, because other Ho∣ly or Feast-days are in the same verse expresly named distinct∣ly by themselves.

So then seeing the seventh-day Sabbath is included with the New Moon, and other Holy or Feast-days, as Shadows of Go∣fpel things, it was also abolished with them; and there is the like Ceremonial Reason for it, as there is for those other Ho∣ly-days, Feasts, and New Moon expressed with it; it being a Sign of Israels Deliverance out of Egypt. And considering al∣so, that the Apostle saith to the Galatians (who after they had been converted from the Idolatry of the Heathens to the Chri∣stian Faith, desired to be under the Law, and were turning to those weak and beggerly Elements) Ye observe Days, and Months, and Times, and Years, I am afraid of you, least I have bestowed up∣on you labour in Vain. I do therefore conclude, that the Jew∣ish seventh-day Sabbath is abrogated with their other Holy-days and Times. For to imagine that our Lord Jesus, who is faithful over his own House, should by his Apostle so reprove the Observation of the Jewish Days and Times in general, and Name their Sabbaths distinctly from other Holy-days, and de∣scribe them all to be but shadows, which are to be done away and changed with the Priesthood, without one word of Excep∣tion in the New Testament, to confirm the Jewish seventh-day Sabbath for our Observation; nor to leave us one Example of any Christian Churches Custom to meet on that day, but

on the first Day of the Week, and yet to require us to keep their Sabbath, is groundless and irrational to believe.

3. I come to prove the Jewish seventh day Sabbath to be Ce∣remonial, and not Morally binding to all Nations, from the Ne∣cessity of Nature, which renders it impracticable in divers Coun∣treys; and in Order therunto, I shall first Premise four things.

1. It was commanded Israel, that they should celebrate their Sabbaths from Evening to Evening; and if after the Jewish Pat∣tern, the Sabbath must begin and end at Evening in every part of the World, then in some parts of it the Sabbath would begin when it endeth in other places, and so it could not be Gods design to bind all men to keep their Sabbath at one Point of Time prefixed to the Children of Israel in the Wilderness, or in the Land of Canaan.

2. The Mosaical seventh-day Sabbath could not be the same Successive seventh-day Sabbath from the Creation, if this were either successively kept before their Egyptian Bondage by the Anci∣ent Fathers; or if these Patriarchs began and ended their Days and Weeks successively in the same Order of Time from the Creation. For God was pleased (to the end, as it is believed, that he might more effectually draw his People from the Ido∣latry of the Heathen) to alter the account of the beginning and ending of their days and years in sacred things, to what it was before the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, and to what was afterwards observed by them in Civil things, and this appears by the Evidence of divers Authors, and from the Testimony of the Sacred Scriptures. And

1. We find in Scripture, that the account of the beginning and ending of the Year was altered to the Jews at their coming out of the Land of Egypt, Exod. 12.2, 8. This Month (viz. Abib) shall be unto you the beginning of Months: it shall be the first Month of the Year to you; which Month is partly in our March and partly in April. Thus their Sacred Year began, but their Civil Year began after their Ingathering of the Fruits of the Feild, for then it is said to be the End of the Year in their seventh Month of Tisri or Ethanim, partly in our September and October, for on the tenth day of this Month was the Trumpet blown to begin their fiftieth year of Jubilee. And this Mr. Ains∣worth noteth on Gen. 7.11. where he saith.

The second Month, to wit, of the Year agreeable in part to that we call October. For the End and Revolution of the Year was about the Month

which we call September, Exod. 23.16. and 34.22. and so the New Year then began: This was after called the Month of Enthanim, 1 Kings 8.2. where the Chaldee paraphraseth, that they called it of Old the First Month, but now (saith he) it is the seventh month, for the Year changed the beginning of it Ecclesiastically, upon the coming of Israel out of Egypt, see Euod. 12.2. and Levit. 23.39. compared with Exod. 23.16. And Mr. Ainsworth farther saith on Exod. 12.2. By Reason of this their going out of Egypt, the Year which before began in September, Exod. 23.16. hath his beginning to the Jews Eccle∣siastically in Abib, or March; but for the Jubilees, and Civil Affairs, it began as it had done before, Levit. 25.8, 9, 10.

And to this agreeth Mr. Pool's and the Dutch Annotations, on Exod. 12.2. And Mr. Godwyn in his Moses and Aaron, page 85. 86. and Mr. Charnock in his Works, Vol. 2. page 853. saith,

It is pro∣bable that from the Creation the Year began in September, the Autumnal Equinox, the Fruit being on the Trees at the Creati∣on; but now God orders the beginning of the Year from the time of this first Passeover — which was in March, the Ver∣nal Equinox.

Lastly, Mr. And. Willet in his Hexapla on Exod. 12.2. speaking of this alteration of the Year, agreeth with o∣thers, that the Jews Ecclesiastical Year began in their first Month called Abib, and that their Civil Year began in their se∣venth Month; yet his Opinion is, that this Sacred Year began in renovation of the former account discontinued in Egypt, but he citeth Josephus, to whom (saith he) consenteth Perertus, Sim∣ler, that the Hebrews always before this time, held the seventh Month to be the first Month, as they did afterwards for the computation of Jubilee, and for other Civil Matters. As to Josephus, Mr. Willet gives his sense out of his Book, in the Greek, Latin, or some other Tongue; for our late English Translation hath either from a corrupt Copy, or default in the Translator, or Printer, an apparent Error, viz. December is put instead of September, or as the Year began before the Israelites were deliver∣ed out of Egypt.

2. I find there was also an alteration made of the Account of the beginning and ending of their days, to what they were before the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, or before their Bon∣dage.

1. For thô it's said, Gen. 1.2, 3, 5. That darkness was upon the face of the deep — And God said, Let there be-light, and there was

light — and the evening and the morning was the first day: Yet from hence there is no sufficient ground to conclude, that the Night was created before the day: for Mr. Chasie observes, that the Hebrew word signifieth a mixed darkness, neither perfect Day, nor perfect Night; and its rational to believe that those words In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth, should be taken for God's creating the matter of the Heavens and the Earth before their form. As its said, The Earth was without form, and void, and darkness (or gloominess) was upon the face of the deep: And then the light and darkness was mixed and confused together; and so if the order of expression of Gods perfecting any piece of the Creation, does carry any precedency in order of time, then the Day-light did Originally go before its Night; but I conceive that neither of them was perfectly formed before the other, for its said, ver. 4. that God divided the light from the darkness, which plainly sheweth they were mixed together, and that he separated the Day from the Night, that they should no more be mixed and confused together, as they were before, but should be distinctly placed in the two Hemispheres, successively to circulate round the Heavens. So that at the same time when the Light was separated into one Hemisphere, or half part of the Heavens, the Darkness was placed in the other, and there∣fore neither of them were perfectly formed before the other in time. Its true, Moses was under a necessity to set either the Evening, or the Morning, or the Light or Darkness, first in the account of the order of God's Creation, which he wrote after the change of the account of the day: And therefore least he should seem to dislike the Alteration which God had then but newly made, of the beginning and euding of the account of the Natural Day for Sacred things, he named the Evening before the Morning in the History of the Creation. But yet we may plainly see that as the light was put (tho not precreated) be∣fore the darkness in the account of the first days Work of Crea∣tion; and as its said, That God made two great lights, the great∣er light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night —to rule over the day, and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: So the light was counted afterwards for the former part of the Natural Day, which consisteth of a Day-light and its Night, or the revolution of the Sun in twenty four hours time. For,

2. We find that God created the Fowls of the Air on the fifth day, and the Beasts and Cattel, and every creeping thing of the Earth on the sixth day, and made Adam, and put him in∣to the Garden of Eden, and then brought them to him, that he should give them Names, before that God had caused a deep Sleep to fall upon him, (while he took out one of his Ribs) and formed Eve, and brought her unto him: It is there∣fore rational to believe, seeing it must necessarily take up time to name the Creatures, and that Adam could not so well behold them in the Night as in the Day, to distinguish every little Bird, and every Fowl of the Air, and all the Cattel, and eve∣ry Beast and creeping thing from each other, to give them pro∣per Names, and to know them again by sight, that he was formed in the day-light of that Hemisphere, and that he spent the remain∣ing part of it in that affair, and that his sleep was in the follow∣ing Night, as the most proper time for it, and then from this foot of account after Eve was formed, at the Conclusion of the sixth days work of Creation, both Adam and Eve first entred on God's seventh and their first day Sabbath at the beginning of the day-light, or morning of the day, to adore and worship God. For as they had no need of the Night to sleep in, for that they were newly made, and fresh in the Strength and Per∣fection of their Nature, and as it best became our First Parents for the Lordship they received of God over the Creatures which he had made, immediately to Attribute their Worship to him: So it was most proper they should have first the Day-light to behold the Beauty of the Creation, thereby to be excited from the Objects of their Eyes, together with the Light of their Understandings, to glorifie God on the first sanctified Day of his Rest from all his Works. So that it is Rational to believe, that Adam began his first First-day Sabbath with the morning or Day-light, and consequently the following working days, and Sabbath-days were all so to begin, and successively to continue to others after him; and according to this, its said a in Gen. 7.4. I will cause it to rain upon the Earth forty days and forty nights: And so in Ver. 12. Forty days and forty nights. And Moses was in the Mount forty days and forty nights: Exod. 24.18. And in Gen. 8.6. At the end of forty days. From which last place it is observable, as well as from many other Scriptures, b that the Day and Night together, is commonly called Day, which is the most excellent part of that which is called the Natural Day of twen∣ty

four hours, and therefore God might also give it the prece∣dency, in respect to its revolution, with its Night originally un∣to Man.

3. Leaving what I have already said of the beginning of the Natural Day, to the serious Consideration of those that desire Information herein, hoping it may be of use to them, I proceed to bring in other Scripture Evidence also, to prove, that before the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, or were in bondage there, the Day-light, and not the Night was counted for the for∣mer part of the Natural Day: As Purchas tells us, citing Pliny, and Scal. That the Babilouians began their Natural Day of twen∣ty four hours at the rising of the Sun, the Egyptian and Romish Priests at Midnight. Ainsworth and Mr. Hughes also say, that the Chaldeans counted the beginning of the Day at San rising. Now as for Babilon, in Hebrew Babel, the Metropolis of the Chaldeans, it was first built by Nimrod, before Abraham and Lots time, who were Chaldeans born, and it is plain from the Sa∣cred Scriptures, that Lots and Abrahams Generations reckoned their Natural days after the manner of the Chaldeans, to begin with the Day-light, and not the Night, as appears in Gen. 19. 33, 34. And they made their Father drink Wine that night — and the first-born went in and lay with her Father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yester∣night with my Father: let us make him drink Wine this night also. And in Gen. 31.26, 29, 36, 42. And Laban said to Jacob—the God of your Father spake unto me yesternight — And Jacob answered, God hath seen my Afflictions, and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. The Hebrew word in these three places for yesternight, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Emesh, heri, sero, Yesterday late in the Evening, Pagnin. Praterita Nocte, last Night — Arias Montanus, Hesternâ Nocte, Yesterdaynight. Buxtorf, Leigh. Crit. Robert∣son's Lex. &c. Some add Evening, or Yester Evening, which is sometimes put for the whole Night, as in the History of the Creation, the Evening and the Morning is put for the Day and Night, but that the Hebrew word Emesh does properly signifie Yester-night, is farther evidenced, because the Hebrews have another word for Yesterday, viz. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Temol, Exod. 5.14. 1 Sam. 20.27. 2 Sam. 15.20. Job 8.9. Psal. 90.4. See Pagnin. Arias Montan. Buxtorf, Leigh, Crit. &c. And the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ghnereb, or Ereb, is properly the Evening, and betokens

the mixing of Light with Darkness after the Sun is set: So that the word Emesh signifieth, as it is rightly translated in our English Bibles, and as Ainsworth readeth it, Yester-night, or Yesterday∣right, which is the same. Moreover, this word in Gen. 19.34. cannot be otherwise understood, without an apparent wrong to the Sacred Scripture. For it's said, Ver. 33. And they made their Father drink Wine that night, and the first-born went in, and lay with her Father, viz. that same Night.—And it came to pass on the morrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my Father; let us make him drink Wine this Night also—And they made their Father drink Wine that Night also. Now let it be duely considered that the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lailah, which is properly Night, is in the Context used in those three places, and that the word Lailah, Night, in Ver. 33. does undeniably confirm the word Emesh, in ver. 34. to be there put for Yester∣night, and not for Yesterday, or Yesterday Evening, because the Hebrew word Lailah, Night, is used in the foregoing Verse, to express that same time, and [Night] which is called [Yester∣night.] Besides, the following words, this Night also, does al∣so farther imply, that the word Emesh is put for Yesternight: So that beside the proper signification of the word, the rendring of it according to our common English Translation, is confirmed with a threefold Evidence, viz. 1. That the Hebrew Tongue has other words to express Yesterday and Evening. 2. That the following Context does imply that Emesh is put for Yesternight. And 3. That the same time called Yesternight, ver. 34. is called Night, ver. 33. So that in Lots and Jacobs time by the Morrow next following to Yesternight, it appears the Day-light was counted for the former part of the Natural Day.

4. This is farther evident, for when at Night they spake of the Day-light following, they used not to say to day, or this Day, but to Morrow, or the Morrow after, Numb. 33.3. They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the morrow after the Passeover; which was killed on the fourteenth day at Even, and prepared at the going down of the Sun, and was eaten within that Night, and not in the Evening, as our Saviour sheweth how the Passeover was to be kept according to Law; for its said, In the Evening he cometh with the twelve: And when the Even was come, he sat down with them, and as they were eating it, he instituted the Holy Sup∣per, as 'tis said, The same Night in which he was betrayed: Ac∣cording

as it was expresly commanded that the Passeover should be eaten in, or within that Night which belong'd to the four∣teenth day, as they reckoned their days for Civil things; for after the Lord had passed over the Children of Israel, and smote the first-born of Egypt at Mid-night, and Pharaoh and all his Servants were risen, and had called Moses and Aaron, and bid them and the Children of Israel with their Flocks and Herds to be gone, and 600000 Footmen, besides Women and Children could depart, thô they were in some readiness, yet it is ratio∣nal to believe, it musts needs be in the next. Day-light; and to confirm this, we find they were expesly commanded that none of them should go out of the Door of his house until the Morn∣ing, viz. of the morrow after the passeover Night, called the fifteenth day, and therefore it did neither belong to the Passover Night, nor the fourteenth day. But from this Passeover, the account of the Natural Day was altered, and by God's Ap∣pointment was put back a whole Night, for the Passeover was killed and prepared on the fourteenth day at Evening, from whence the first day of unleavened Bread began, and the Feast continued till the one and twentieth day at Evening, which is just seven days according to the Commandment, Exod. 12.17, 18, 19. But yet observe in Levit. 23.6. and Numb. 28.17. it is said, that on the fifteenth day is the Feast of unleavened Bread seven days, which to reckon it to begin from the morrow, or next morning after the Passeover, as before is shewed Numb. 33.3. on account of their Civil days, like as was reckon'd in Lot and Jacob's time, would come short a whole night of the seven days appointed from the fourteenth day at Even till the one and twentieth day at Even: And therefore I see no o∣ther way to make up the full seven days, than to begin their fifteenth Sacred Day, at or after the Evening and end of their Civil or common fourteenth artificial Day of Day-light, which cuts off its following Night belonging to it, and so puts that Night to the following Day-light, and thereby maketh a new Sacred fifteenth day of the Night of the Civil fourteenth day, and the Day∣light of the Civil fifteenth Day put together; and from thence in an orderly Succession their Sacred time was measured for the due observing of those Feasts, Sabbaths, and Holy-days which God commanded the Children of Israel. But for their Civil Affairs, they still accounted their days from Morning to Morn∣ing, as in 1 Sam. 19.10. And David fled and escaped that night.

Saul also sent Messengers unto Davids house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: And Michal Davids wife told him say∣ing, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain: from which Scripture it plainly appears, that after that night, the nex Morning or Day-light was accounted the Morrow, which was another Day, and not belonging to the Night going before. And to this Mr. Tho. Godwin witnesseth in his Book, called Moses and Aaron, page 80. where he tells us,

That the Jews Natural Day was two-fold: Civil, a working Day, which was destined for Civil Businesses and Works. This (saith he) began at Sun-rising, and held till the next Sun∣rising, Matth. 28.1. Or Sacred, a Festival, or holy-day, destined for Holy Exercises: This began at Sun-set, and con∣tinued till the next Sun-set.

From all which both Sacred and Humane Evidence, I shall make this Inference, That if the Pa∣triarchs before and after the Flood, and the House of Israel suc∣cessively had either kept the same precise seventh day Sabbath from the Creation, or had reckoned the time of their begin∣ning and ending of their Days and Weeks precisely and succes∣sively from thence, (althô their Sabbath might not have been duely observed in their bondage,) then the Jewish Sabbath from Evening to Evening, after the Alteration of the account of the day, could not be the precise successive seventh day from the Crea∣tion. And seeing the Scripture is silent in fixing the Jewish se∣venth day, or any other Day as that precise successive seventh day, we cannot tell which is the same successive seventh day from the first seventh day of Rest which God Sanctified.

3. I premise, That if the Reasons I have given for Adams beginning his first Sabbath day in the Morning with the Day-light in that Hemisphere of the Garden of Eden, should be counted by our Opponents too weak to draw a conclusi∣on for a pattern to justifie us in beginning our Sabbath in the Morning, and any should still hold the keeping of the Sabbath from Evening to Evening to be successively from the Creati∣on, then we have this to argue against their Opinion, That as they have no Scripture for it, so the Sun was not made till the fourth day of the Creation; and we know not in what part of that day it was Sun-rising or Sun-setting, or Noon or Mid-night in any Horizon or Hemisphere, except we ac∣knowledge that Adam began his first Sabbath with the Mor∣ning, and then it follows that a little before the fourth

day was ended, it was about as much before the beginning of the fifth day with the Morning or Sun-rising in Eden, otherwise as it cannot then be known where the seventh day of God's Rest (which had the same successive proportion of time as the six days of Creation) was bounded with the rising and setting of the Sun, but that when God's seventh day of Rest after his sixth day of Creation began and ended any where, it began and ended every where at the same instant season, and it was no where then any other than the seventh day, which began in some places at Evening, in others at Morning, in others at Midnight, in others at Noon, and in some or other places at all hours of the Day and Night, and the Revolution of the Light and Darkness, was the Day which is called Natural, in distinction to that which is by some called the Artificial Day, or Day-light only. There cannot therefore from the first seventh day of God's Rest be any footing of account to measure out to us the time of day for the beginning of our Day, nor consequently for the beginning and ending of our Sabbath-day, for that it is not known to us where the Sun was when that seventh day of God's Rest first began, unless we give way to what hath been clearly demonstrated from the Scripture, that the Sun arose, or was about rising then to Paradice; and to believe, as there is reason for it, that Adam had that whole Day-light sanctified which preceded the Night of his Sabbath.

4. It is very clear that God did never design the Law and In∣stitution of the Sabbath to Israel in the Wilderness, to bind either Jews or Gentiles to the observation of the precise orderly Suc∣cession of their seventh day Sabbath, as from the Creation to the end of the World; because we find that God himself did after∣wards make an interruption of the Natural Order of the account of Time, when the Sun was brought backward ten degrees in the Dial of Ahaz, and when it stood still in the midst of Heaver about a whole Day.

1. As to the Suns going backward ten degrees, Mr. Weems in his Christian Synagogue, has made a draught of Ahaz Dial, and explain∣ed the matter, telling us that that Day was prolonged twenty two hours, reckoning the ten degrees or divisions on the Dial to be five hours backward, and then the Suns going forward again, is 5 hours more, with twelve hours, is twenty two hours Day-light in all.

2. It is said, Josh. 10.13. So the Sun stood still in the midst of Heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. Now if we

duely consider this place, it seems by the Suns standing still in the midst of Heaven, that it stood still in the Meridian, or Noon-tide of Canaan about a whole day; and add to the time of its stand∣ing still the half, or that part of the Day that was past before, and that followed after, when the Sun moved forwards to its going down, and then that Day or Day-light continued twenty four hours, or was about as long as the Day and Night together: and so if the Jews did reckon all that large Day-light to belong to the preceding Night, then the beginning of their next Sabbath fell later than its usual course about twelve hours time, and if they divided that long Day-light, and put half of it to the former, and half of it to the following Night, then they did thereby al∣ter the beginning of their Natural Day for Sacred things, and reckon that last twelve hours of Day-light for the former part of the Day belonging to the following Night, but such a suc∣cession of days for Sacred things, was against the Command of God for the Time and Order of beginning and ending all their Sabbaths and Holy-days. But instead of these, if any should yet say, That when the Sun had continued in their Hemisphere about twenty four hours time, the Natural Course of the Night being altered, and its time spent by the long duration of that Day, God was pleased in an instant either to pass the Sun thrô their Anti∣pode Hemisphere, or suddenly to turn it backward, and make it Sun-rising to the Israelites in the Land of Canaan.

I Answer, That if thus it was, that in an instant the Sun was passed through their Horizon, and the Antipode Hemisphere, then they reckoned the first twelve hours of that long Day-light of twenty four hours for one Artificial Day, or Day-light, and the last twelve hours Day instead of Night, adding one to its preceding Night, and the other instead of a Night to the following Day∣light, and so did bring their days into their former course again. But as this would have been a greater Miracle than the former, which was only a stop to the Course of Nature for a time, so there is reason to believe that if it had been so, the Holy Ghost would have recorded it in the Scripture, and Josephus would not have omitted the Notice of it in his History, where he speaks of this larger Day than ordinary. And as to the last, if the Sun had been suddenly turned backward to make it Sun-rising in the Land of Canaan, then it could not have been so properly said, that the Sun hasted not to go down about a whole day: For if the Sun had been suddenly put backward from its place of setting to its

place of rising, then the Sun had only hasted from its standing still to the place of its going down, and went not down, till a day-light and a halfs-time after it stood still in the midst of Heaven, contrary to the plain meaning of the Text. And if we say the Sun was turned backwards from the place it stood still, or from thence was passed in an instant through their An∣tipode Hemisphere to its place of rising, or which ever way we reckon from that time the Account of the natural course of the Day and Night to settle; the Jews could not possibly fall into their due Order of Time again, as successively from their former Custom to begin their Sabbaths at Even, accor∣ding to the Law, unless it were settled by a greater Miracle than the standing still of the Sun. But if we reckon, as there is the greatest Reason for it, and it is most natural and fair∣ly implyed in the Text, that after the Sun had stood still a∣bout a whole day, or twelve hours, it then continued its na∣tural course to go down, and add to it the ten hours of the Suns going backward and returning in the Dial of Ahaz (which twenty two hours together being computed after the Jewish Custom of some of their Days-light or Artificial-days, may make a full day and nights time) and then the Jewish Sabbath fell later than its former precise Order of Saccession, by near or full a whole days time. So that their weekly seventh-day Sabbath after these Afterations of days had but about two hours (possibly no time at all) in the time, which by an orderly Suc∣cession should have been their Sabbath, and the other twenty two hours (and possibly their whole Sabbath-day) was in the Time, if it had not been so interrupted of the first day of their Week, by an orderly Succession from their first Sabbath in the Wilderness. And therefore it is apparent, that neither the Mo∣ral Law nor the Ceremonial Precept for their Sabbath, was de∣signed to bind us to the Observation of the precise successive seventh-day from the Creation; for if it had, God would ne∣ver have so interrupted the course of Nature, and his own De∣sign and Institution unto Men.

5. Having premised these things, I proceed to shew, that the course of Nature maketh it impossible for all Nations to ob∣serve the seventh-day Sabbath after the Jewish Pattern.

1. Sir Jonus Moor saith, that the Government of Wardhus is in seventy and seventy one Degrees. And there they have the continual Presence of the Sun for many days together in the

Summer, and in the Winter they are as long without the Sun in their Horison or Hemisphere.

2. Parchas gives us a large account of the Northern Parts of the World, and tells us, that the Samoyeds about the Banks of Pechore are in Subjection to the Moscovites, and that in the Year 1611. Josias Logan wintered at the Town of Postozera, and there observed, that on December eleventh he could see but the way of the Sun Beams; on the thirteenth the Beams but not the Sun: Which (it's there said) on Christmas day he saw rising at South and by West, and setting at South West and by South, not wholly elevated from the Horison, but all the way the nether part of the Sun seeming just and even with it. Now this Town of Postozera I find in Speeds Maps and Description of the World, to be but just over the Artick Circle, which is in about sixty six Degrees and half. So that Wardbus before mentioned, be∣ing about four Degrees nearer the Pole, has more of the con∣tinual Presence of the Sun in Summer, and is a longer time without it in the Winter. But to return to Purchas History, he farther tells us, that the Hollanders in the Year 1594. sent to discover a way to Cathay and China by the North-East, that William Barentz was the Chief Pilot for this Discovery. The next Year the last of August, they had Speech with the Samoyeds, who know no God. The Sun (whose Presence they are long deprived of in the Winter, which is recompensed in their Nightless Summer) is worshipped amongst them, and when the Sun is declining out of their sight, the Moon or North-Star is his Receiver or Successor (if you will) in that Tribute of their Devotions. Moreover the aforesaid Author saith, that they (viz. the Hollanders) learned of certain Muscovites, that the Inhabitants of Nova Zemla, had neither Religion, ••or Ci∣vility prescribed them by any Law, but worshipped the Sun, Moon, and North-Star: And that in the Year 1596, there were sent other two Ships to prosecute this Discovery, and after many dreadful Combates with the Ice, and one of the Ships departing from the other, they were forced to Winter in Nova Zemla, where they indured a continual Night of ma∣ny Weeks, wherein neither the Sun nor any of his Courtly Train, the least Rays to be the Harbingers of his desired Pre∣sence, did present themselves to their Eyes, from the fourth of November, till the seven and twentieth of January they saw no Sun. Our Author farther addeth in Page 740, 741. That Henry Hud∣son,

1607. discovered farther North towards the Pole—he found himself in eighty Degrees, where they felt it hot, and drank Water to Cool their thirst, they saw Land to eighty two Degrees and farther—It is, saith he, colder in sixty two Degrees, than in nine or ten Degrees more northerly towards the North Eest—hence it is, that those parts hear (and per∣haps under) the Pole are habitable; the continuance of the Suns Presence in the Summer, Hearing and Warming with live∣ly Cherishment all Creatures; and in the Winter, by his ob∣lique Motion, leaving so long a Twi-light; and the increa∣sed Light of the Moon, the Suns great and diligent Lieutenant, the brightness of the Stars, and whi••eness of the Snow, not Suffering them to be quite forlorn in darkness.

Moreover he farther saith, in Page 743. (speaking of James Halls Voyages to Groenland) that he sound their Winter Houses built with Whales-bone, covered with Earth; and Vaults two∣yards deep under the Earth, Square.—Up within the Land, they have a King carried on mens Shoulders. The next Year he sailed thither the third Time, and in a fourth Voyage 1612. was slain there by a Savage. And he tells us in his Margin, that this Voyage was written by William Boffin. Allen Sellows of Red••iff, told me (saith he) Hall was slain in seventy six Degrees. I have given the Reader the larger account of those Northern Parts, that he may receive the fuller Satisfaction, that there are Inhabitants in those Countreys that have seve∣ral Weeks of Day together in the Summer, and of Nights to∣gether in the Winter: and Mr. Chafie saith,

That in places near either of the Poles, where it is commonly Day-light for ma∣ny days together; from Sun-setting to Sun-setting in those places cannot properly be termed a Day, having in it many Revoluti∣ons of the Sun — And in the North of Russia, and of the King of Denmarks and — Swedens Countreys, where the Sun maketh ma∣ny Revolutions, at some seasons of the Year between his Rising and Setting, Men cannot count their Week by Horizontal days, (that is, from Sun-rising to Sun-rising, or from Sun∣setting to Sun-setting) but they do and have counted their Weeks by Meridional days:

Which is the time from Mid∣night to Mid-night, or from Noon to Noon with any People. And therefore if the Sabbath must be kept from Evening to Even∣ing in all the World, after the Jewish pattern, then in some re∣mote Northern parts their Horizontal day from Evening to

Evening in some parts of their Year is as long as many of ours, yea many Weeks of our Days must pass before they can keep their seventh-day Sabbath, to reckon their days from Evening to Evening, and so for great part of their Year they cannot follow the Example of Israels Sabbath.

Besides, if the Moral Law be only so binding then both Men and Beasts in some part of their Year are the more exposed to hard bondage, and the Relief and Equity of the Law is not alike to all Nations. And therefore seeing the Jewish Pattern cannot be binding to all Nations, to begin their Sabbath at one and the same precise time of Day, nor can universally pre∣serve the equal Reason or Equity of the Law, it was not de∣signed of God to answer the Moral Law.

Notes

• Exod. 31.13, 14, 15, 16, 17.
• Deut. 5.15.
• Gal. 3. to v. 4. Chap. 4.3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 21. Chap. 5.1. to 5. Chap. 6.12, 13.
• Heb. 3.6.
• Heb. 7.12.
• Lev. 23.32.
• Exod. ch. 13.3, 4.
• Exod. 23.16. Chap. 34.22. Levit. 25.89.
• Mr. Tho. Chasie in his Tract on the Sabbath, p. 4. saith, The first things God made was day and night, or light and dark∣ness — There was in Nature before, thô not in time, a mix∣ed or confused darkness which Moses called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which Arias Monta∣nus correcting Pagnin, tran∣slateth and cal∣leth it Caligo; it was neither perfect day, nor perfect Night.
• Isal. 45.7.
• Gen. 1.3.10.18.
• Gen. 1.27, 28.
• a

  Exod. 10.13. Chap. 13.21. Lev. 8.35. Deut. 28.66. Job 26.10. Jer. 33.20.
• b

  Gen. 8.10, 12 Chap. 17.12. Exod. 21.21. Numb. 14.34.
• See Purchas Pilgrimage, Page 118. lib 2.77. Emend. Tem. lib. 1. Ainsworth on Gen. 10.10. Ezek. 23.15. Dan. 1.1, 2. Ains. Gen. 1.5. See Mr. G. Hughes Analy∣tical Exposit. of Genesis, on Chap. 1.9. Gen. 10.8, 9, 10. Gen. 11.27, 28, 31.
• Gen.
• See Ainsw. Gen. 1.5. Leigh Gett.
• Exod. 12.6, 8, 10. Dent. 10.6. Mark 14.17. Matth. 16.20.
• Matth. 26.26. 1 Cor. 11.23.
• Exod. 11.29, &c. 37, 38. Numb. 1.1, 2, 45, 46.
• Exod. 12.2••.
• Isai. 38.8. See his Book, Page 157.158
• See his S••sem of the Ma••••∣maticks, Pa•••• 48.
• See his Pilgri∣mage, Page 431, 432, 433.
• Under the Pole there is but one day and one Nigh•• in one whol•• Yea••, for it is half a Year Niala, and half a Year day together. In Gre••il••••d (saith he) are no People. But Green or G••oon land is another place.
• See his Tract on the Sabbath Page 18. and 24.
• See Mr. Cha∣sic Page 7.9.