Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…

All the Eastern Nations also, amongst whom the Planetary Denomination of the Days of the Week first began, have since their casting off that kind of Idolatry, rejected the use of those Names, being therein more Religious, or more Superstitious, than the most of Christians. So is it done by the. Arabians and Persians, and those that are joined ⟨p. 35⟩unto them in Religious Observances. The Day of their Worship, which is our Friday, the Arabians call Giuma, the Persians Adina. The Rest of the Days of the Week they discriminate by their natural Order within their Hebdomadal Revolution; the first, the second, the third; only some of them in some places, have some special Name occasionally imposed on them. The Church of Rome, from a Decree as they suppose, or pretend of Pope Sylvester, reckons all the Days of the Week, by Feria prima, secunda, and so onwards; only their Writers for the most part retain the Name of Sabbatum, and use Dies Dominica for the first Day. And the Rhemists on Revel. 1. 10. condemn the name of Sunday, as Heathenish. And Polydore Virgil before them, says, Profccio pudendum est, simulque dolendum, quod non antebac data sunt istis diebus Christiana nomina; ne dii Gentium tam memorabile, inter nos, monumentum haberent. de Invent. Rer. lib. 6. c. 5. And indeed among sundry of the Ancients, there do many severe Expressions occur against the use of the common Planetary Names. And at the first Relinquishment of Gentilism, it had no doubt been well, if those Names of Baalim had been taken away out of the mouths of men, especially considering that the retaining of them hath been of no use nor Advantage. As they are now riveted into custom and usage, claiming their station on such a Prescription, as in some measure takes away the corruption of their use, I judge that they are not to be contended about. For as they are vulgarly used, their Names are mere notes of Distinction, of no more signification, than first, second and third, the original, and occasional Imposition of them ⟨p. 36⟩being utterly amongst the many unknown.

All the Eastern Nations also, amongst whom the Planetary Denomination of the Dayes of the Week first began, have since their casting off that kind of Idolatry, rejected the use of those Names, being therein more Religious, or more Superstitious, than the most of Christians. So is it done by the. Arabians and Persians, and those that are joyned