V. May is faid to have been fo called from Maia, the mother of Mercury, another of their pretended ethnick deities, to whom in this month they paid their devotions.

VI. June is faid to take its name from Juno, one of the fuppofed goddeffes of the heathen.

VII. July, fo called from Julius Cæfar, one of the Roman emperors, who gave his own name to this month, which before was called Quintilis, or the fifth.

VIII. Auguft, fo named in honour of Auguf tus Cæfar, another. of the Roman emperors. This month was before called Sextilis, or the fixth.

The other four months, namely, September, October, November and December, ftill retain their numerical Latin names, which, according to the late regulation of the calendar, will for the future be improperly applied. However, from the continued use of them hitherto, as well as from the practice of the Jews before the Babylonish captivity,* it seemeth highly probable, that the method of distinguishing the months by their numerical order only, was the most ancient, as it is the most plain, simple and rational.

As the idolatrous Romans thus gave names to feveral of the months in honour of their pretended deities; fo the like idolatry prevailing among our Saxon ancestors, induced them to call the days of the week by the name of the idol which on that day they peculiarly worshipped. Hence

* See the Scriptures to the time of Ezra.

the First day of the week was by them called Sunday, from their accuftomary adoration of the fun upon that day.

The Second day of the week they called Monday, from their ufual custom of worshipping the moon on that day.

The Third day of the week they named Tuefday, in honour of one of their idols called Tuifco.

The Fourth day of the week they called Wednesday, from the appellation of Woden, another of their idols.

The Fifth day of the week was called Thurfday, from the name of an idol called Thor, to whom they paid their devotions on that day.

The Sixth day of the week was termed Friday, from the name of Friga, an imaginary goddefs by them worshipped.

The Seventh day of the week they ftiled Saturday, as is supposed from Saturn, or Seater, by them then worshipped.*

In the ages of Popish fuperftition, not only the ufe of fuch heathenifh names and cuftoms was indulged, but alfo other unfound and unfcriptural practices in religion were invented and introduced. For when the profeffion of the Christian religion became national, multitudes of the heathen priefts, whofe interest lay in the performance of rites, ceremonies, and facrifices, embraced prevailing Chriftianity with selfish views, and laboured early, with too much fuccefs, to find employment for themselves, by im

* See Verftegan and Sheringham.

pofing on the people a new fet of ceremonies and facrifices, bearing some resemblance to thofe, which in their former ftate of heathenifm they had been accuftomed to. From this corrupt fource sprang the Popish facrifice of the mafs, the celebration of which, at particular times, and on particular occasions, gave rise to the vulgar names of Michaelmas, Martinmas, Christmas, and the like.

Seeing therefore that these appellations and names of days, months, and times, are of an idolatrous or fuperftitious original, contrary to the divine command, the practice of good and holy men in former ages, and repugnant to the Christian teftimony borne by our faithful friends and predeceffors in the truth, for the fake of which they patiently endured many revilings; let neither the reproach of fingularity, nor the fpecious reasonings of fuch as would evade the crofs of Chrift, turn you aside from the fimplicity of the gofpel, nor difcourage you from keeping to the language of truth, in denominating the months and days according to the plain and fcriptural way of expreffion, thereby following the example of our worthy elders, and coming up in a noble and honourable testimony against these, and all other remains of idolatry and fu perftition.

From the Meeting for Sufferings in London,

the fixth day of the feventh month, 1751.

DEFAMATION AND DETRACTION.

ADVISED to watch against all tale-bearing and defaming friends or others, or evil-speaking tending thereunto; and shut out all occafions of offences, contentions and divifions, and to put a speedy ftop thereto, paffing righteous judgment upon all, who appear inftruments of divifions and offences, contrary to that peaceable truth and gospel we profess to be guided by. Be kind and tender hearted one to another, earnestly labouring for univerfal love, union, and peace in our religious fociety.

But when any hath received offence from another, let him first speak privately to the party offending, and endeavour reconciliation between themselves, and not to whisper, or aggravate matters against one another, behind their backs, to the making parties, and the breach wider. 1692.

Let thofe juft and ancient commands of God be obferved, Levit. xix. 16, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people ;" and Exodus xxiii. 1, "Thou shalt not raife a falfe report." In the fear of the Lord ftand against all whisperers, backbiters, tale-bearers, defamers and flanderers, and against all whifperings, backbitings, tale-bearing, reproaching,

F

and flandering, and put a speedy ftop thereto as much as in you lies, for fuch works of darkness and envy tend to divifion and discord, and the righteous law of God goes against both the authors, fomenters, receivers and encouragers thereof. 1695.

Be careful to avoid all backbitings, whisperings, and tale-bearings; for " The words of a tale-bearer," fays the wife man," are as wounds," Prov. xviii. 8, tending to the defamation and leffening the characters one of another. Be not, therefore, like those of whom the prophet complains, "Report, fay they, and we will report ;" but when you hear a thing tending to the defamation of any, enquire of the reporter, whether he has acquainted the perfon affected thereby with fuch a report; if not, caution him to forbear fpreading the fame, left the reputation of the innocent be injured thereby. Endeavour to put à speedy ftop to all fuch wicked practices, and works of darkness, juftly condemnable, not only in the authors, but the encouragers thereof. "He that worketh deceit," fays the Royal Pfalmift, "fhall not dwell within my houfe he that telleth lies fhall not tarry in my fight." Pfal. ci. 5, 7. 1738.

We remind you to ftand upon your guard against all whispering, backbiting and detracting fpirits, who bufy themselves in fpreading evil furmifings one of another, and to discourage every practice of that nature, obferving the advice of the apoftle," Let all bitterness, wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-fpeaking, be put away