The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians…

Nay, this division of time into weeks, was generally observed among the heathens, as hath been showed by great variety of reading, and that this hath been the most ancient division of time, those other divisions into months and into years, coming in place long after, according as the motion of the Moon and of the Sun were found out by Astrologers, not till then, like as the denomination of the seven days of the week by the several names of the planets, was not brought in, until the several motions of all the Planets, come to be discovered. As for the second reason proposed thus on our part; If all the rest ⟨p. 191⟩of the Commandments flow from the principles of nature, how is this excluded? It is not fit that any man should take upon him the shaping of his adversaries arguments; That this Commandment should be taken for a part of the moral Law, I wonder that any man should be so unreasonable as to deny; but that this Commandment should flow from the Principles of nature; and that delivered without distinction, I know no man that affirms. But let us distinguish, and I make no doubt, but there will be found no difference of moment between Doctor Prideaux and us: For, I find no man to deny, but that some time in general is to be set apart, as well for Gods public worship and service, as for private, and that this is acknowledged by the very light of nature; Only as touching the proportion of time that is to be set apart for Gods service, herein we are to seek; yet herein also the light of nature doth advantage us, and that sufficiently in two particulars: For the truth whereof, I dare appeal to the judgement of Doctor Prideaux himself. 1. The first is this, that not only some time, but a sufficient proportion of time is to be consecrated to the exercises of piety, both public and private. Gomarus and Rivetus are driven to acknowledge this, in answer to Walaeus about the proportion of one day in seven. And whereas we may be to seek of agreement about what is sufficient: 2. Therefore in the next place, the very light of nature doth suggest unto us; that it is far more fit that the Master should prescribe unto the servant, what proportion of service he expects from his hands, than that the servant at his pleasure should cut out what proportion of service he thinks good unto his Master;

Nay, this division of time into weeks, was generally observed among the heathens, as hath been shewed by great variety of reading, and that this hath beene the most ancient division of time, those other divisions into moneths and into yeeres, comming in place long after, according as the motion of the Moone and of the Sunne were found out by Astrologers, not till then, like as the denomination of the seven dayes of the weeke by the severall names of the planets, was not brought in, untill the severall motions of all the Planets, come to be discovered. As for the second reason proposed thus on our part; If all the rest