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

§. 1 Having fixed the Name, the Thing it self falls nextly under Consideration. And the Order of our Investigation shall be, to enquire first into its Original, and then into its Causes. And the true stating of the former will give great light into the latter, as also into its Duration. For if it began with the World, probably it had a cause cognate to the Existence of the World, and the Ends of it, and so must in Duration be commensurate unto it. If it owes its Rise to succeeding Generations, amongst some peculiar sort of men, its Cause was arbitrary and occasional, and its continuance uncertain. For every thing which had such a Beginning in the Worship of God, was limited to some seasons only, and had a Time determined for its Expiration. This therefore is first to be stated. And indeed no Concern of this Day hath fallen ⟨p. 42⟩under more diligent, severe, and Learned Dissertations. Very Learned men have here engaged into contrary Opinions, and defended them with much Learning and Variety of Reading. Summa sequar Vestigia rerum; and shall briefly call the different Apprehensions both of Jews and Christians in this matter unto a just Examination. Neither shall I omit the consideration of any Opinion, whose Antiquity or the Authority of its Defenders did ever give it Reputation, though now generally exploded; as not knowing in that Revolution of Opinions which we are under, how soon it may have a Revival.

§. 1 HAving fixed the Name, the Thing it self falls nextly under Consideration. And the Order of our Investigation shall be, to enquire first into its Original, and then into its Causes. And the true stating of the former will give great light into the latter, as also into its Duration. For if it began with the World, probably it had a cause cognate to the Existence of the World, and the Ends of it, and so must in Duration be commensurate unto it. If it ows its Rise to succeeding Generations, amongst some peculiar sort of men, its Cause was arbitrary and occasional, and its continuance uncertain. For every thing which had such a Beginning in the Worship of God, was limited to some seasons only, and had a Time determined for its Expiration. This therefore is first to be stated. And indeed no Concern of this Day hath fallen ⟨p. 42⟩under more diligent, severe, and Learned Dissertations. Very Learned men have here engaged into contrary Opinions, and defended them with much Learning and Variety of Reading. Summa sequar Vestigia rerum; and shall briefly call the different Apprehensions both of Jews and Christians in this matter unto a just Examination. Neither shall I omit the consideration of any Opinion, whose Antiquity or the Authority of its Defenders did ever give it Reputation, though now generally exploded; as not knowing in that Revolution of Opinions which we are under, how soon it may have a Revival.