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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91155	A briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the Lordsday-Sabbath. Wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by Scripture, reason, authorities, in all ages till this present: that the Lordsday begins and ends at evening; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening: against the novel errours, mistakes of such, who groundlesly assert; that it begins and ends at midnight, or day-breaking; and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight, or morning to morning: whose arguments are here examined, refuted as unsound, absurd, frivolous. Compiled in the Tower of London, and now published, for the information, reformation of all contrary judgment or practise. By William Prynne of Swainswick Esq;.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1654 (1654)	Wing P3916; Thomason E814_11	82,955	107

in times of Popery all of them resolving the fourth Commandement to be Morall still in force obliging all Christians under the Gospel to the weekly observation and sanctification of the intire Lords-day That TOTVS ILLE DIES TVTALITER DIVINO CVLTVI APPLICANDVS EST NIHIL ALIUD AGENDUM NISI DEO VACANDUM and that because DIES INTEGER SABBATUM TOTUM cultui divino SACRATUR not two or three hours of it onely devoted to the publick exercise of Gods worship in the Church as some new * Doctors assent who allot the rest to Sports Pastimes and wordly labours or affairs being more lic●ntious and prophane than Papists in this point who are generally as strict as the greatest Puritane writers in their Doctrines for their intire sanctification of the Lords day and against the use of all ordinary labours sports pastimes dancing enterludes and carnall pleasures on it or any part thereof even from Evening to Evening when they begin and end it Now if the Lords-day it self be thus to be sanctified and solemnized by Christiaans even by the equity and Morality of the fourth Commaudement it self literally commencing onely the sanctification of the seuenth day Sabbath which began and ended alwayes at Evening Then it must by the very equity and morality of the sourth Commandement be sanctified and solemnized by Christians from Evening to Evening as the seventh dae Sabbath was both by Jews and Christians heretofore by vertue of this Precept which Reason our Opposites can no wayes evade 6. Our opposites themselves apply all Texts and precepts in the Old Testament for the sanctification of the seuenth day Sabbath unto the Lords-day Sabbath as being all one with it in substance Why then should they or any other reject that Text of Levit. 23. 32. From Even to Even ye shall celebrate your Sabbath refuse the usuall Scripture computation of the beginning and ending all dayes all Festivalls at Evening and affix a new incep●ion or ●nd to the Lord-day and all other dayes too at Morning or midnight which the sacred Writ doth no wayes warrant As therefore they apply most other things concerning the seventh day Sabbath to the Lords day so must they now the time and Texts for its beginning too unlesse they can give good Scripture reasons for it which no man can do 7. The beginning of the Lords-day and Sabbath at Evening as soon as the Sun sets or the Evening-star begins to shine as it is most certain whereas the beginning of it from the hour or moment of Christs Resurrection which is not certainly known nor expressed by the Evangelists is arbitrary and uncertain and so not to be embraced so is it m●st consonant to that rest or Sabbath in heaven of which these Sabbaths are a reall type Heb. 4. to 11. For our heavenly Sabbath ever begins in the very Evening and Sunset of our dayes when death puts a period to them Rev 14. 13. Job 3. 17 18. or at least at the Evening and period of this world when dayes shal be no longer Rev. 10. 6 7. Therefore by the analogy of the type to the substance those Sabbaths should begin at Evening too when the day-light ends the rather because the Evening usually puts an end to our Labours and begins our ordinary rest as death the Evening of our dayes concludes our earthly toyls and travels and commenceth our heavenly rest Rev. 14. 13. 8. This beginning of the Sabbath and Lords day at Evening doth best prepare men for the sanctification and duties of it and most of all prevent the profanation of it For first it makes men to put a timely period to their weekly labours on Saturday Evening and then to begin the sanctification of it with private meditations prayer singing of Psalms reading the Scriptures catcchifing of their children and families examination of their own hearts and wayes and such like holy duties where as the Doctrines of its beginning at midnight or morning light as wofull evperience witnesseth makes many spend a great part of the Satturday Evening and night when the Sabbath and Lords-day begin in true calculation especially in Cities and market Towns in buying selling drinking gaming who●ing and such like worldly or carnall imployments which this Doctrine of its commencement at Evening would easily redresse 2. It causeth men to go to bed and take their rest In due season to rise the more early in the morning to come to the publick duties of Gods Worship with greater chearfulnesse and better Preparation and so to receive more profit by them to resort more timely to the Church to dispatch their own private devotions before they go to the publick Assemblies and to be every way more holy and active wheras the other Midnight or morning inception of it makes Trades men others to set up Saturday nights as we erroneously both call and repute them very late about secular or vi●ious sinfull imployments there being more sinnes for the most part and disordrs committed that Evening and night then on any or all the other six to lie long in bed the Lords day morning to come very late to Church or not at all to repair to publick duties without any or at least with small preparation bringing along with them heads and hearts full of worldly cares of sinfull thoughts of unlamented iniquities and as full of deadnesse and drowsinesse which makes them either to sleep out prayers and Sermons too or not to observe and mind them as they ought all which the Evening beginning thereof would readily best prevent Wherfore I may safely conclude that the Sabbath and Lords-day ought of right to b●gin at Evening since God being * only wise would certainly institute such an inchoation of them as might best prepare and enable men to their Sanctification and most anticipate their prophanation the cause why he prescribed the celebration of the Sabbath from Even to Even Levit. 23. 32. if I righly conjecture 9. It is confessed by all that in the Scripture and Israelites account all dayes began at Evening as I have proved at large before It is likewise most certain that Christ and his Apostles being Israelites did ever constantly observe the Scripture and their own nationall computation of the beginning and end of dayes it being that which Christ himself and all the Evangelists follow as I have evidenced at large in the third and fifth Conclusions neither is it any way probable that Christ and his Apostles or the primitive-Primitive-Church and Christians who were in all things guided by them did or would alter this their Nationall and divine beginning or concluding of dayes there being no ground or reason for it for ought that yet appeares If therefore the Lords-day were instituted and consecrated for a Sabbath by Christ himself as many or by his Apostles as most or by the Primitive Church Christians onely soon after the Apostles time as others affirm one of which three opinions is and

mischief therefore is but a pretence Secondly It is clear that God himself commanded his seventh day Sabbath and other Solemn F●stivals to be solemnized from Evening to Evening Exod. 12. 18. Levit. 23. 32. God therefore infinitely wise foreseeing better than the best wisest holiest and most prudent Christian Magistrates or Ministers all inconveniences abuses that might prophane his Sabbath and what beginning conclusion of it would best prevent all prophanations and make most for its sanctification instituting hi● Sabbath and other Festivals to begin and end at Evening not at morning or mid-night I may safely inferre against this present Objection that this beginning concluding the Lordsday at Evening even in Gods accompt and so in verity it self is least inconvenient least mischievous and the best of all the three to prevent all prophanations abuses of the day Therefore it ought to be imbraced as that which God himself hath prescribed for the best the meetest of all others Thirdly I have formerly proved that this beginning of it at Evening doth best prepare men for its sanctification that it prevents more prophanations Abuses of it committed on and occasioned by disorders of all sorts on the Saturday night as we falsly term it then it could possibly produce on Lordsday Evenings To which I shall adde that it likewise excuseth all Husbandmen Tradesmen and others from being Sabbath-breakers who in the Winter quarters rise early to their weekly labour on Munday morning some three or four hours before day-break who should be Sabboath breakers in an high degree if the sabbath or Lordsday ended not til day breaking as some Objectors pretend Therefore I may conclude that this beginning of the Lordsday at Evening make more for the sanctification of the day and prevents more inconveniences then that at morning and so ought to be retained Fourthly This beginning and concluding the Lords-day at Evening cannot any way produce such effects of licentiousnesse and prophanenesse on Lordsday Evenings as is suggested since it puts no period to the Lordsday or its duties till after Sunset when the Stars begin to shine which is not till eight or nine of the clock in the Summer when all orderly people families are more ready to betake themselves to their family duties private devotions and rest then to Sports or Pastimes and about six a clock in the Winter quarter after which all civill orderly Parents Masters though not religious permit not their Children or Servants to rove abroad and such who are truly pious fall to repetition of the Sermons they heard the Lordsday before singing of Psalms reading the Scriptures and godly Books Catechising their families Prayer Meditations and such like holy family duties answerable to the piety they professe and the holinesse of the preceding day So that it gives no liberty at all to any dishonest unchristian Sports or meetings as is pretended which commonly break up and end ere the Lordsday concludes in this accompt and which all good Christians ever avoid at all times especially after Lordsday exercises of Piety and Religion with which they have no anologie Lastly Admit the objection true that this beginning of the Lordsday at Evening should prove more inconvenient then that at morning not simply in it self but in regard of mens abusing it which yet I deny yet it follows not that therefore the day ought then to begin since the abuse of any Doctrine through the corruption of men makes not the Doctrine lesse true and since Inconvenien●es must not cannot alter those bounds which God himself hath immutably prescribed unto dayes True it is that inconveniencies backed with any precepts or scripture for the beginning of dayes are good Arguments proofs of truths but wanting Scripture authority to enforce them or being objected against apparent texts they are no ways conclusive Such are the inconveniences here pretended which whether they will happen yea or no will not canno appear till this Doctrine of the Lordsdayes commencing at Evening and the use of publique Evening Prayers in all places Saturday Evenings as a preparative to the Lordsday Sanctification formerly used be generally received as formerly which men will not so much abuse to Liberty and Licentiousnesse as is pretended or if they do the fault is onely theirs not the Doctrines Wherefore my Conclusion remains still firm notwithstanding this Objection The Sixt and last Objection is this That many godly Learned Divines of late and present times have in their Writings Sermons delivered this Opinion for a truth That the Lordsday begins and ends at morning not at evening because Christ rose not till the Morning and it is now the common received opinion practice of all our Divines and most private Christians Therefore questionlesse it is the truth and dangerous to alter it in Thesis or Practice To this I answer First That it is true many reverend holy learned late Divines whose names for honours sake I shall forbear to mention have in their publique Writings and many more in their Sermons delivered this opinion yet many of them only dubiously with an * IT SEEMETH or IT IS PROBABLE or LIKELY not resolutely and that their present practice is answerable thereunto But yet all the learned Godly Christians in all former ages have held practiced the contrary as I have proved and some godly eminent Divines among us now conclude in judgement with them The judgment therefore and practise of all Ages Churches from the Apostles time till now should rather sway the ballance of this controversie then these few late Divines though learned and judicious Secondly Most of those godly learned men have taken up this Opinion and published it to others upon Wolphius his Authority and ground without any full examination or serious study of the point as appears by this that they do but lightly touch it in the by and so away not seriously or peremptorily resolving it grounding themselves upon such reasons as no wayes prove their Conclusion and in truth are meerly fals in that sense they understand them as I have largely manifested in the premises Therefore their Authorities are not so much to be regarded Thirdly In all Disputes we must not so much observe what and who the Authors produced are as what their proofs and reasons are If these good learned mens Arguments Reasons be unsound as I have manifested them no matter what their Opinions lives or practises are since the learnedest the holiest are and may be subject unto Errours from which none are exempted Seeing therefore I have here propounded the best Reasons alledged on all hands for the Sabbath and Lordsdayes beginning at Evening Morning Midnight let the best Proofs Reasons win the field and then I hope the victory will fall on my side without any more Dispute who contend not for victory but truth alone Having thus as I conceive given full satisfactory answers to all materiall Objections I ever yet read heard or conceive against the Lords-days beginning at Evening I come now

of the day at Evening is ratified by the fourth Commandement a morall and perpetuall precept founded on the very course and L●w of nature at the Creation as most assert Gen. 2. 1 2. 3. For this Commandement enjoyning men b To keep holy the Sabbath day to do no manner of work upon it and to labour six dayes and do all their wor● For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed he Sabbath day and hallowed it doth her● in apparently confirm for ever the beginning ●nd and limits bo●h of dayes and weeks as they were ●●ttled at the Creation For this precept having a retrospect to Gods six dayes work and his seventh dayes rest when he created the world and enjoyning men to work six dayes to rest the seventh day and keep it holy as God did then doth apparantly intimate that these foresaid seven dayes were as so many royall Standards of time by which all subsequent dayes and weeks must be measured which must begin end and have the same dimen●ions with that originall week and those first seven dayes Wherefore since they began and ended at Evening then as I have proved all other dayes likewise must do so by vertue of this command The rather because it prescribes men to finish all their work in six dayes and then to begin their rest when their work ends as God did his but their six dayes work usually c ends at Evening therefore their six days also should then d●termine and their Sabbath or seven dayes r●st begin and so by consequence all the six dayes the Sabbath day and so all dayes for ever should commence and end at Evening so long as this commandement is in being or dayes and weeks shall last Fourthlv The beginning of dayes must needs be immutable because the alteration of it from Evening to morning or midnight which thwarts the Scripture computation would falsisie corrupt many Passages and Texts of Scripture call into question the truh of our Saviours Resurrection on the third day and somewhat alter the Scripture Chronology which is most exact and punctuall neither of which are sufferable by God or Christians Lastly this beginning and close of dayes hath an influence into Gods worship who as he hath prescribed men how so likewise when to worship him to wit especially on the Sabbath which he hath appropriated to himself stiling it his own Sabbath and holy day Exod. 16. 23 25. Levit. 23. 3. Deut. 5. 14. Neh. c. 14. Isa. 58. 13. Exod. 20. 10 c. 31 16. The sanctification therefore of the Sabbath being a part of Gods worship and the Sabbath his own peculiar day * which most hold Christ and his apostles and the Primitive Christians by Gods warrant translated to the Lords day that beginning and limits of it which God hath fixed must not be changed but by God because it would alter both Gods day and worship too To prevent which inconvenience God hath given not onely generall commands to sanctifie this day but likewise a speciall precept to begin and end it at Even Levit. 23. 32. From Even to Even you shall celebrate your Sabbath there being no such particular precept given for the limits of other dayes which are bounded out in more generall termes it being both dangerous and absurd to leave the inception or bounds of the Sabbath arbitrary unto men to begin and end it when they please the day being Gods not theirs the sanctification thereof a speciall part of his service which men have no power to alter or diminish and whatsoever in God● service is not of faith warrantted or prescribed by his word being sinne and will-worship Rom. 14. 23. Col. 2. 18. 20 21 22 23. From all which I may safely affirm that this beginning and ending of dayes at Even especially of the Sabbath day is immutable and so my fourth Conclusion undeniable For the fifth That Christs Resurrection in the morning did no wayes alter the beginning or end of dayes nor yet translate the inception of that day whereon he arose From Evening to morning it is unquestionable First Because this commencement and conclusion of dayes at Evening is immutable as I have manifested in in the fourth Conclusion therefore not altered by Christ● Resurrection Secondly because Christs Passion and Resurrection abolished or changed nothing but that which was typicall and ceremoniall witnesse Gal. 4. 9 10 11. Col. 2. 14. to 22. Acts 15. 24. 28 29. Heb. 9. 10 11. c. 10. 1. 2 9. with the unanimous suffrage of all Divine● But the beginning and end of dayes at Even was no wayes typicall or ceremoniall but rather naturall and morall being instituted at the Creation ratified by the fourth Commandement and immutably fixed for ever as the premise● testifie Therefore it was not abolished or translated by Christs Resurrection or Passion from Evening to morning Thirdly Christ abrogated or changed nothing but what was necessary to be abolished or altered upon warrantable reasons and substantiall grounds See Heb. 8. 6 7 8. c. 9. 9. to 16. c. 10. 1. to 11. Col. 2. 16 17 22 23. Ephes. 2. 15. Gal. 5. 1. to 7. Acts 15. 10. 28. But there was no necessity reason cause or ground at all of altering this begining and end of dayes at Evening therefore Christs Resurrection did not alter or abolish it Fourthly the alteration limitation of times dayes and seasons is a Peculiar Prerogative of God the Father reserved in his own power not in Christs as is manifest by Acts 1. 7. Matth. 24. 36. Mark 13. 32. Levit. 23. 2. c. Psal. 118. 23 24. Exod. 13. 2 3 6 14. Exod. 20. 1 8 10 11. compared with Daniel 2. 20 21. Psal. 74. 16 17. Jer. 33. 20. c. 31. 35. Psal. 136 1. 7 8 9. upon which Priviledge Royall none anciently durst encroach but that presumptuous Horn typifying the Papacy Dan. 7. 25. Christ therefore by his bare Resurrection made no such alteration of the dayes inchoation having no speciall Commission from his Father so to do Fifthly there is not one word or sillable in all the Scripture which either affirms or intimates that Christs Resurrection made any mutation of the beginning or end of dayes neither can any man produce one substantiall reason grounded on Scripture why Christs resurrection should cause such a change as this or why his resurrection should do it rather than his Nativity Passion or Ascension Therefore I may saf●ly conclude that it made no such change untill the contrary can be proved Sixthly the Scripture is expresse that Christs Resurr●ction did no wayes change either the order name or nature of that day whereon he aros● For all the Evangelists speaking of it as Christs Resurrection day in their Histories of the Resurrection penned some space after it ever stile it The first day of the week Math. 28. 1. Mark 16.