to Paul for his conversion that he might send him among the Gentiles that sate in darknesse to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God Act. 22. 6 14. Act. 26. 13 18. and he made the word of God to abound through a great part of the world even from Jerusalem to Illiricum Rom. 15. 19. In this evening time of the world the Gospel did shine in its ful strength for now Christ and his twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples and divers other Prophets and Teachers did confirme their doctrine with signs and wonders to the conversion of many ten thousand soules that formerly sate in darknesse under the power of Satan 6 Gnereb is put for the last end of a thing as in Isa 24. 11. The mirth of the land is Gnereb that is to say ceased or ended And in this sense Matthew puts the evening of the Sabbaths in the plurall number for the end of the weeke Mat. 28. 1. for the Jews used to date all the days of the week from the Sabbath day in this order the first of the Sabbath the second of the Sabbath and so on till the week ended with the Sabbath it selfe In like sort they did sometimes call the whole week the Sabbath and the seven weekes to Penticost they called seven Sabbaths Levit. 23. 15. and the Pharisee said I fast twice in the Sabbath Luk. 18. 12. or twice in the week now if the Evening had been the beginning of the Natural day then all these allusions from Gnereb to the last times or to the last end of a thing had been very improper and very absurd 7 Gnereb by the figure Synecdoche is often put for any particular hour in the afternoon or in the beginning of the night for the Jews were to transact many Civil and many Religious actions in the severall houres of Gnereb the Evening and in that respect any of those houres may be called Gnereb the Evening But at first when Moses did conjoyn and set together all the parts and parcels of the first natural day No question but he did use Gnereb in its full and proper sense for the conjunction of the latter half of the Artificial day with the first half of the night as the even and equal part of time to Boker the morning and that is the thing which I mainly aime at in all my discourse upon Gnereb SECT 2. It is further evident that Gnereb must be taken for such a connexion of things as doth still preserve the Species distinct because Gnarbaiim in the duall number is put for the connexion of any two things without confounding their species But especially it is Eleven times over put for the two parts of the Naturall Evening I Find upon search that Gnereb the Evening is eleven times over called Gnarbaiim in the duall number because the God of Nature had from the first day divided the natural Evening into two parts which are rightly called the two Evenings by many Translators These two Evenings were famously known to all the Jewes in Egypt for when Moses commanded them to kill the Passeover between the two Evenings Exod. 12. 6. he did not explain what he meant by the two Evenings he did not make any circumstantiall description of them which had been necessary if they had not been familiarly acquainted with the several limits of them but he doth onely barely name them as a thing that was familiarly known to them Five times over the Lord commanded them to sacrifise all their Passeovers between the two Evenings Exod. 12. 6. Levit. 23. 5. Numb 9. 3 5 11. and four times over the Lord commanded them to sacrifise the daily Evening sacrifice between the two Evenings Exod. 29. 39 41. Num. 28. 4 8. Solomon Jarchi describes the two Evenings thus from the sixt hour which is at Mid-day and upwards it is called between the two Evenings for that the Sun declineth towards his going down c. between the Evening of the Day and the Evening of the Night The Evening of the Day is from the beginning of the seventh houre and the Evening of the Night is when the night begins See Ains in Num. 9. 3. And Aben Ezra on Exod. 12. saith There is the Evening of the Sun and the Evening of the Night when the shining of the Sun is gone from off the Earth And Rab. David in Perek Aâ—oth ch 5. saith There is the Evening of the Suns declining and the Evening of the Suns setting His meaning is according to other Hebrew Doctors namely that the Evening of the Suns declining begins at the first declining of the Sun at Mid-day and that the Evening of the Suns setting doth begin then And Buxtorfius in his Hebrew Lexicon upon the word Gnarbaiim doth cite other Hebrew Canons to this very purpose But I shall refer you to Chap. 5. for a further description of the two Evenings where I explaine the Passeover Evening I have already cited nine places of Scripture where the term of two Evenings is cited in the Hebrew text and now I will cite two places more The Priests were commanded to light up their Lamps between the two Evenings Exod. 30. 8. and the Quailes came between the two Evenings Exod. 16. 12. Also I find one clear example of the two Evenings in the New Testament in one and the same day It is said in Matth. 14. 15. When it was evening the Disciples came to him and said the time is now past that is to say it is now past dinner time send the multitude away But Christ did not send them away untill he had first made them dine and after they had well dined then he sent them away After this Evening Christ went up into a mountain to pray and then it is said againe When the Evening was come hee was there alone ver 23. This Evening in ver 23. is another Evening besides that in vers 15. and between these two Evenings Christ did a long action for he fed many thousands plentifully And thus I have proved by a Jury of twelve Witnesses that the naturall Evening is divided into two Evenings and I have set out the limits of the first Evening by the testimony of the Hebrew Doctors from Mid-day till Sun-set and the latter Evening begins at Sun-set and ends at mid-night and both these Evenings are called Gnarbaiim in the duall number that is say the Twy-party Evening for so Gnarbaiim in the duall number must be understood as it appears by the like form of speech where the Scripture setteth out the twy-party connexture of other things as for example Ramath in mount Ephraim 1 Sam. 1. 19. is called Ramothaim in the dual number 1 Sam. 1. 1. some Translators render it the two Ramaths in mount Ephraim but indeed they are deceived for there is but one Ramath in Mount Ephraim and that Ramath is called Ramothaim in the dual number because it had two parts and
grant that all Israel departed out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of Nishan Numb 33. 3. But how prove you that they began their journey at Midnight or that the fifteenth day began at Mid-night Answ The circumstances of the Text do prove it plain enough for as soon as the Egyptiaus saw all their first-born slain at Mid-night they feared lest they should be all slain and therefore they did urge the Israelites in all haste to depart and the Israelites knew all this before-hand and accordingly they prepared for their speedy departure and because of this their preparation they are said to depart out of Egypt in the night Deut. 16. 1. compared with Exod. 12. 29 31 42. The Egyptians therefore as soon as their first-born were slain at Midnight urged the Israelites in haste to depart and then also the Israelites did depart out of the doors of their houses because the morning of the fifteenth day was come but yet they could not fully depart out of Egypt untill the body of the self same day was come namely not till it was Mid-day See Ains in Exod. 12. 41. they had many businesses to do after they went out of the doors of their houses before they could fully depart for they must assemble together 600000 men befides women and children and many connexed people and cattle and before all this could be put into a fit posture for their orderly marching away it was Mid-day and yet they made extraordinary haste to bring things thus soon to passe and through their great haste they took their Dough as it was unleavened and carried it upon their shoulders ver 34. and thenceforth the fifteenth of Nishan was commanded to be remembred and to be observed as a Festivall Sabbath for ever and as the first day of the Feast of unleavened bread Exod. 13. 3. Lev. 23. 7. Deut. 16. 3. Their Journey in the night began in this order as soon as the first-born of Pharaoh and the Nobles were slain at Mid-night then in their perplexed fear they did hastily call up Moses and Aaron to depart and then they gave the Alarm to the rest and as the first of them marched through the land of Goshen the rest fell in by Troops but before they could be all marshalled to depart in fit order it was Mid-day and in this sort their march began at Mid-night and was compleated by Mid-day according to Numb 33. 3. Conclusion From all the premises which I have laid down under three Heads or Sections it follows That the time of the first darkness after the Creation of the Earth was Morning and not Evening And secondly That it began at that time which the God of Nature made Mid-night at last namely as soon as all the parts of the Naturall day were formed and framed together CHAP. IV. Proving That the Jewes Custom in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sun-set Evening was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custom namely Because the persons that were ceremonially purified from their ceremonial Defilements were commanded to begin their new day of cleanness then and hence it follows first That that accidental beginning of the Day must not be accounted for the true beginning of the Natural Day And Secondly Hence it follows That it is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening as the Jews did by their ceremonial Custom onely SECT 1. THe Jews were often guilty of sundry degrees of sins of uncleanness against the Ceremonial Law besides their sins against the Moral Law as you may find them noted and distinguished by Mr. Ainsworth in Lev. 11. 24 25 32. and in Lev. 12. 6. and in Lev. 22. 7. compared with Numb 9. 10. and with Lev. 13. 6. and see also Lev. 14. 9 17. and Num. 5. 2 3. and Numb 19. 2 7 11. Secondly Answerable thereunto the Ceremonial Law did ordain several degrees of purification from these several degrees of ceremonial uncleanness as you may find them noted also by Ainsworth in Lev. 5. 2. Lev. 14. 9 15. Lev. 15. 14. Num. 5. 7. Num. 19. 18. Gen. 35. 2. and in Exod. 19. Thirdly Not onely the manner how but also the time when they must cleanse themselves was ordained and appointed by the Ceremonial Law Some kind of defilements might be clensed in one day but the greatest degrees of their Ceremonial defilements required not only one but many dayes for their cleansing but all were commanded to begin their cleansing in the Evening in two degrees of time according to the two parts of the Evening for the natural Evening hath two equal parts as I have shewed in Chap. 2. and shall further shew it in the next Chapter In the first Evening which doth always begin at Mid-day they must baptize or wash themselves The Jews were cleansed from their ceremonial defilements 1. By washing in the afternoon And 2. By the Suns setting upon them after their baptizing In the second Evening which doth alwaies begin at Sun-set they did begin to date the day of their cleanness For by the setting of the Sun upon them after their washing two things were effected First Their cleanness by their former washing was confirmed or made perfect And secondly As soon as their cleanness was made perfect they began the day of their cleanness Object 1. Might not the unclean person baptize himself from his Ceremonial defilements in the latter evening after Sun-set as well as in the time of the first Evening before Sun-set Ans He might not because God had appointed the time of the two Evenings for two distinct degrees of their cleansing The first Evening from Mid-day to Sun-set was allotted to them for the washing or baptizing themselves from their ceremonial sins and this was onely as a preparation to the day of their cleanness And this I will labor to make evident several waies 1. Moses in Deut. 23. 11. doth command the unclean person to bath himself in water at the looking forth of the Evening So the Hebrew phrase is but it may be demanded what time is that that is meant by the looking forth of the Evening Answ I have shewed you in chap. 2. and in chap. 5. that the Evening doth first begin at the first declining of the Sun at Mid-day and that it looks forth towards his setting in the west from the very first declining of the Sun from Mid-day untill it depart from that Horizon and to this sense I have expounded the shadows of the Evening to look forth in Jer. 6 4. See Chap. 2. In like sort it is said of Isaack that he went out into the fields to meditate at the looking forth of the Evening Gen. 24. 63. In those daies they had no private upper Rooms to meditate in because they lived in Tents and therefore they used to sequester themselves by going out into the fields to meditate where they had Groves of Trees for shade and refreshing and thither the godly used to go to
he had bathed himself in water The answer is no hee must yet stay a while longer without the Camp till his Sun be set and then when the Sun is gon down he shall come into the Camp Hence it is evident that his Ceremoniall purity was not compleat until his Sun was set but then it was compleat and therefore he did then begin to date the day of his cleanness Hence also I gather that their Ceremonial baptizing might be done in any part of the afternoon provided it were done before Sun-set because the Sun did look forth towards the place of his going down by his shadow from Mid-day til it went out of that Horizon as I have formerly explained the matter But if any were defiled by any accident in the night after his Sun was set upon him he must remain in that uncleanness untill a new baptizing in the next afternoon and till a new Sun-set Evening Secondly It is evident that none were compleatly purified till Sun-set by Levit. 22. 5 6 7. Moses saith thus If any man whether Priest or Israelite be made unclean by touching a dead creeping thing or the like unclean thing Then in ver 6. he shall be unclean untill the Evening he shall not eat of the holy things But first He shall bath himself in water And then Secondly saith ver 7. when the Sun is gon down he shall be clean By this Text it is also evident that he did not attain to a perfect ceremonial cleanness by baptizing himself in water untill the Sun was gon down upon him after his bathing But as soon as his Sun was set then he was compleatly purified and then also he began to date the day of his cleanness and then also he might eat of the holy things Thirdly The Hebrew Doctors do abundantly testifie that no baptized person did begin the day of his cleanness untill his Sun was set for this is their common and peculiar phrase They shall be unclean untill their Sun be set But the common phrase of the Ceremonial Law saith thus They shall be unclean untill the Evening The unclean saith Maymony may not eat of the Heave-Offering untill their Sun be set See Ains in Lev. 22. 9 10. And hence it is evident that they held the baptized persons to have some degree of uncleanness upon them untill their Sun was set And therefore Maymony saith thus He that is baptized is the second in uncleanness untill his Sun be set And he that is so baptized if his Sun bee not set may not eat or drink of the Trumah or holy offerings nor of any meat or drink that is holy See Ains in Lev. 11. 32. and in Lev. 7. 20 21. and in Numb 19. 19 20 21. This phrase in the Law He shall be unclean untill the Evening is eight times over repeated in Lev. 11. and fourteen times over in Lev. 15. and often elsewhere But the Hebrew Doctors do usually express it He shall be unclean till his Sun be set they accounted the term Sun-set and the term Evening to be all one time Hence then it follows that the date of their new day of cleanness did alwaies begin at the Sun-set Evening Fourthly It is evident that the Jews began the date of their new day of cleanness at the Sun-set Evening because the Sun-set The Jews morrow began at Sun-set in Ceremonial respects Evening is called Their morning 1 Sam. 30. 17. David and his men are said to pursue after the Amalekites From the twilight unto the Evening of Their Morrow that is to say from the Twilight in the Morning until their Morrow which began at the Sun-set Evening it was a custom that was proper and peculiar unto them differing from other Nations to date the new day of their cleanness from the Sun-set Evening and therefore the Hebrew Text doth apply the word Their unto David and his men in special calling it their morrow Dr. Willet doth explain the word Morrow to be the next day after David his men were set forth to pursue the Amalekites But the text doth not say so but that David and his men fell upon the Amalekites and pursued their victory from the Twilight in the morning untill the Evening of their morrow that is till the Sun-set Evening for at that Evening began their Morrow or their new day to the person purified 2. It is evident that the Sun-set Evening was the Jews morrow from the time of their reckoning of the seven weeks to the day of Penticost They are commanded to begin that reckoning from the morrow of the Sabbath meaning by the Sabbath the first day of the feast of unleavened bread which God commanded them to observe as a Sabbath Lev. 23. 15. And by the Morrow of the Sabbath is meant the second day of the Feast of unleavened bread which began at the Sun-set Evening at the end of the first day that Evening is called the Morrow but this is observable also that the seventh day of the Feast of unleavened bread did not end at Sun-set but the holy feast of that day continued in the night time after Sun-set and in this sense the word Morrow must be understood in ver 11. and 16. The Hebrew Doctors say they begin this reckoning from the beginning of the day not from the beginning of the Artificial day as most are apt to mistake their meaning but from the night of the sixteenth of Nishan See Ains in Lev. 23. 15. and it is a known thing as I have explained the matter that they did account the night to begin at the Sun-set Evening according to the date of the person purified And in this sense the phrase of The next day in Matth. 27. 62. must be understood then the next day that followed the preparation must be understood of the Sun-set Evening 3. As Boker the Morning is put for the beginning of the day namely for the beginning of the Natural day and for the beginning of the Artificial day so also it is once put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day or for the Sun-set Evening in Deut. 16. 4. as I have opened the matter more at large in Chap. 5. These places do plainly evidence that the Jews had a double Morning and a double Morrow as they had a double year answerable to the Natural Day and to their Ceremonial Day Object 2. Though I am willing to grant that all purified persons did It is disputed by some that the Sun-set Evening is not fully come until it be full Twilight or somewhat past or else they confess it cannot be proved that Christ lay three daies in his grave begin the date of their new Day at the Sun-set Evening yet learned men do affirm that the Sun is not set as soon as the Body of the Sun is gone out of our sight They say that as long as there doth remain any light in the Skie the Sun is the cause of it and hence they assert That the
Synagogues for there the clean and the unclean might meet together every Sabbath or seventh Day as I have observed in Chap. 4. but in case they had been defiled by any accident whatsoever at Sun-set they could not have eaten of their festival Sabbath-supper for all Israel were admonished to be clean at every solemn Feast saith Maymony Obj. 11. Why doth John call the first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread a high Sabbath Joh. 19. 31. Ans All the seven solemn Festival Sabbaths in Levit. 23. 7. are called High Feasts by the Geneva in Eze. 45. 17. But secondly this first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread was the very first of all those seven Sabbaths it was the day in which the Lord brought them out of Aegypt with a high hand and therefore the Lord did in a special manner charge them to remember this day for ever Exod. 13. 3. this Day and the weekly Sabbath have the word remember prefixed before them more than any other Sabbaths and in this regard the Hebrew Doctors in Deuteroproton and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do call Pascha day a great Sabbath but they do not give this high title to the proper Passeover day for that was no Sabbath it was but half Holy-day and therefore Moses doth not reckon it into the number of the Festival Sabbaths in Gen. 23. but they mean it of the first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread this day they called a great Sabbath and Pascha Day because in it they did festivally eat the remainder of their Peace-offerings which they had offered with the Lamb-Passeover on the fourteenth day But though they held this day to be a great Festival Sabbath and shewed great reverence to it now in their request to Pilate because it was their preparation time to their Festival Supper yet in the morning they held it lawful to judge Causes of Life and Death as we may see they did in our Saviours case and after Sun-set they held it lawful not only to bury but also to imbalm the Dead as the godly persons did to our Saviour See Ains in Lev. 23. 56. but they did not hold any of this work lawful to be done on their weekly Sabbath Luk. 23. 56. Obj. 12. Why doth John use the term Sabbath twice over in John 19. 31. doth he speak but of one kinde or of two sorts of Sabbaths Ans John speaks but of one high Festival Sabbath only now it was their immediate preparation to their high Festival Sabbath-Supper and therefore having satisfied their malice on Christ they besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and that they might be taken down for that Sabbath was a high Sabbath I grant also that the weekly Sabbath was now begun according to the date of the person purified but not the seventh Day it self for this high Festival Sabbath was now in its full force and in its solemn Feast Secondly The time of Christs Burial is noted by Luke to bee The time of Christs burial was at Star-light when the said Festival Sabbath did begin to lighten Luk. 23. 54 so doth Mr. Broughton and Mr. Weames read it and so doth the Syriac read it in this phrase the Evangelist Luke doth plainly Thalmudize his words run thus That day was the preparation and the Sabbath began to lighten two things are observable 1. Luke saith this day was the preparation namely to their festival Supper 2. He describes the exact time when Christ was inclosed in the heart of the earth it was when this High Sabbath began to lighten namely in the first place with the Evening Star and that was a perspicuous mark of the near time of their Festival Supper but they did not begin their Festival Supper till three Stars appeared as I have noted in chap. 4. and Luke doth relate to this custom of theirs in shewing that the time of Christs Burial was when the Sabbath began to lighten but I beleeve the chief Priests did deferre the time of their feasting now somewhat longer than at other times because they had some businesse to do with Pilate before they could intend their Festival Supper for they went to Pilate to intreat him that the Sepulchre might be made sure until the third day because this Deceiver said that he would rise again the third day Mat. 27. 62 63. This request of their 's no doubt did occasion their delay to begin their High Sabbath Supper till more than three Stars appeared in the Skie this night Obj. 12. You say the Priests went to Pilate to intreat him to make sure the Sepulchre before they kept their Festival Supper but it is out of doubt I think that they did not go to Pilate till the next morning for Matthew calls the time of their going to Pilate the next day that followed their preparation Mat. 27. 62. Ans Ignorance of the Iewish Customs makes many misconstructions the next day began at Sun-set as I have sufficiently explained the matter in Chap. 4. Sect. 2. and this day followed their Preparation to their Festival Supper for their preparation in the after-noon was either by washing away of some light defilements or else it was their preparation of holy flesh by offering sacrifices c. But Matthews meaning lyes fair and round thus The next day after their preparation which began at the Sun-set evening they assembled unto Pilate to make the fore-said request Hence note that they did not go to Pilate to make this request till the next day namely not till after Sun-set and then also they had commission to make him sure by appointing such a Watch and all this they did after it was Star-light Their Satanical policy would not suffer them to stay so long as until the next morning for then Pilate would have said to them Why did you neglect to set a Watch about his Sepulcre over night as soon as he was buried for if his Disciples had had any minde to steale him away they would have done it in the first part of the night and doubtlesse when the Souldiers came to the chief Priests to tell them what had happened the chief Priests would have said that his Disciples stole him away before they began their watch but the chief Priests could not plead that excuse because they went presently to the sepulchre and made it sure sealing the stone and setting a watch Matth. 27. 66. Hence it follows that they went to Pilate in the beginning of their next Ceremonial day namely presently after Sun-set before they began their Festival Supper 2 Pilates answer to their request implies that they came over-night for Pilate saith You have a Watch go make it sure as you know Hence it follows that they came to Pilate when Watches were wont to be set but if they had not come to him til the next morning then in reason he would have said Get Warders and make it sure Hence it follows that the next day in which
which it was offered Lev. 6. 26. as other Sacrifices were Lev. 7. 15 18. and yet the Priests could not eat the holy flesh of this publick Sin-offering till after Sun-set for the fasâ— of this day was not fully ended till after Sun-set and therefore also they might not begin to Cook that holy flesh untill the Fast was fully ended Hence it follows that the same day did still continue till after Sun-set yea untill it was Mid-night 2 The Priests had another work to do within the limits of this tenth day namely they must burn all the fats and peeces of all the publick Evening-sacrifices of this day which were many and some of their Evening-sacrifices were also offered neer unto Sun-set and therefore this work and duty of burning would require not only the more diligence but also the more time to finish this sweet savor upon the Lords Altar in its own proper day as I have noted the commanded season thereof more at large in Lev. 6. 9. 3 It appears that some of the works which appertained to the morning-sacrifice of this tenth day must begin at Mid-night and that some of the works which must be done about the Evening-sacrifice were such as could not be ended untill the Mid-night after For the first work that must be done on this day in preparation to the Morning-sacrifice was the taking away the ashes from the Altar and these ashes they must begin to take away at Mid-night as Maymony saith See Ains in Lev. 6. 10. And in an other place he saith they took away the ashes at Mid-night and ordered the wood c. and at the break of day they began to kill the daily Morning-sacrifice See Ains in Lev. 16. 4. In like sort they could not finish the burning of all the Evening-sacrifices of this day till Mid-night as I have shewed above from Lev. 6. 9. and yet over and above this full day from Mid-night to Mid-night they began their strict Fast and their strict Rest in the Evening of the ninth day which did increase the length of this day to be an extraordinary long fasting-Fasting-Sabbath Hence I conclude That the beginning of this day cannot be alleged as an exemplary pattern neither for the beginning of any other Fasting-day nor yet for the beginning of our Lords day as it is intended by those that allege it for the beginning and ending of the Jews weekly Sabbath from Even to Even CHAP. VII Answering their Opinion more particularly that hold the Lords day to begin at Evening And four Objections are Answered Object 1. IT is objected that our Lords day is come in the place of the Jewish Sabbath which began at Evening and for the proof of this they allege the Example of Nehemiah he is said to shut up the Gates of Jerusalem when it began to be dark before the Sabbath Neh. 13. 19. they expound the word Before and the word Dark in favour of their opinion thus 1. The word Before the Sabbath they say doth mean just before the face or present beginning of the Sabbath 2. The word Dark they say doth mean when it was full Twilight namely when the darknesse in the Skie was somewhat more than the light in the Skie for as long as the light in the Skie is more than darknesse they say the Sun is the cause of it and hence they conclude that the Sun cannot be said to be set till the darknesse in the Skie be more in quantity than the light in the Skie and this they make to be the punctual time of the Sun-set evening when the Jews Sabbath began namely when a Man could not see to read or a Woman to sew Ans This exposition of the beginning of the Sun-set evening and of the beginning of the Sabbath is a new-found devise I have already shewed the vanity of it in Chapter 4. in my answer to Obj. 2. That the Sun-set evening is truly come as soon as ever the Body of the Sun is gone out of fight and that Darknesse is then begun because the shining of the Sun is gone from off the face of the earth and Darknesse is said to begin at the going down of the Sun in Gen. 15. 17. and then the Jews began to set their Night-watches and then the purified person began the date of the day of his cleanenesse and therefore if the Sabbath it self did begin in the evening at all it began then namely according to the date of the day of the purified person which began as soon as ever the Body of the Sun was gone out of sight as I have shewed in chap. 4. and then if Nehemiah did not set a Watch at the Gates of Jerusalem till the darknesse in the Skie was more than the light in the Skie he did not that which was sufficient to preserve the Holy rest of the Holy Sabbath especially seeing they began to make some preparation to the observation of the Sabbath from the time of the Evening Sacrifice before as I have observed from the Hebrew Doctors But I perceive that such as hold the Sabbath it self to begin in Such as hold the Sabbath to begin â—t the Sun set evening can never prove that Christ lay three days in his Grave the evening are necessitated to seek out such odde expositions as this of the time of the Sun-set evening because else they see that they can never prove that Christ lay three days inclosed in the heart of the earth Mat. 12. 40. and they know that Christ rose from the Dead on the first day of the Week Joh. 20. 19. Hence it follows that he must be inclosed in the heart of the earth in the very self-same Friday in which he was Crucified for the first day of the Week in which he arose from the Dead is called the third Day after 1 Cor. 15. 4. and in these respects it is of necessary consequence to describe the precise time both of his Burial and also of his Resurrection or else a doubting Conscience cannot be rightly established in the truth of his three days lying in the Grave But such as hold the Sabbath to begin at the Sun-set evening can never prove it unlesse they can prove that Christ was inclosed in the heart of the earth some distinct time before Sun-set but Luke saith that the time of Christs Burial was when it began to be Star-light Luk. 23. 54. that is not possible to be done for Luke saith that the Sabbath began to lighten with Star-light when he was inclosed in his Grave Luk. 23. 54. Master Broughton Mr. Weames and the Syriac do render the Translation so and the Seventy use the same Greek word in Job 25. 5. for the light of the Moon and it may as well be used for the light of the Stars for they are called Stars of light Gen. 1. 14 16. Psal 148. 3. Let all the circumstances of time about the burial of Christ bee cast up and laid together and then it will put
Sabbath it self because they held it unlawfull to bake the said two Loaves of new corn in the Evening before the day of Penticost if it were a Sabbath But they might without scruple have baked the said two Loaves in the said Evening before Penticost as well as on any other Evening if they had held that the Sabbath had then been fully ended See Ains in Lev. 23. 6 7. 2 Hence it is evident that the Hebrew Doctors did not hold the Evening before the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self no otherwise than by way of preparation 3 Mamony gives another instance from the time of baking the twelve Loaves of Shew-bread he saith That the twelve Loaves of the Shew-bread might not be baked on the Sabbath nor on a feast-Feast-day but in the Evening of the Sabbath they baked it and set it in order on the morrow See Ains in Lev. 24. 5. Hence this is remarable in this Hebrew Record That he makes a manifest difference between the Evening that goes before the Sabbath and the Sabbath it self he calls the Evening before the Evening of the Sabbath by custome peculiar to the Jews from the date of the new day to the person purified as I have formerly shewed he allows these twelve Loaves to be baked in the Evening of the Sabbath all the yeer long except it fell out to be in the latter Evening of a Festival-Sabbath and therefore it doth hence follow that not the Evening before but the Evening after their Festival-Sabbaths was a true part of their Festival-Sabbaths And so likewise Tremelius a Christian Jew doth make the Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self in his Translation and note on the Syriak Testament in Matth. 28. 1. Therefore by the judgement of the Hebrew Doctors the Festival-Sabbath was not ended at Sun-set and thence it follows that if their festival-Sabbaths were not ended at Sun-set then their weekly Sabbaths were not ended at Sun-set 4 Maymony saith thus Who so laboureth in the Evening of the Sabbath he shall eat in the Sabbath See Ains in Exod. 16. 26. Hence it follows that in the judgement of the Hebrew Canons the Evening before the Sabbath was no part of the Sabbath no otherwise but by way of preparation to the Sabbath for they say That he that will eat in the Sabbath must labour in the Evening of the Sabbath namely in the Evening before the Sabbath This they speak as I conceive of their laborious preparing of their Manna according to every ones palat in a readiness against the Sabbath for though the Manna was a ready food of it self without preparing to some stomacks yet not to al til it were cooked to their palat and it could not be prepared in this sort without great labor for it was ground in Mills and beaten in Mortars Num. 11. 8 And in that respect the Hebrew Doctors say Who so laboureth in the Evening of the Sabbath shall eat in the Sabbath but in case they neglected this work in the Evening of the Sabbath they might not do it on the Sabbath day but they must rather fast and endure hunger for their negligence sake Hence it follows that the Evening before was called the Evening of the Sabbath no otherwise but by way of preparation and it is called the Evening of the Sabbath from their new date to the person purified his new day did ever begin at the Sun-set Evenning 5 Maymony saith thus Such works as may be done in the Evening before a Feast-day they do not upon a Feast-day they may not reap nor thresh nor winnow nor grinde corn nor the like upon a Sabbath day for all these things may be done in the Evening of a Sabbath killing of Beasts baking of bread kneading of dough and the like may be done in the Evening of a Sabbath See Ains in Lev. 23. 7. in like sort their laborious preparation of their Manna must be done in the Evening of the weekly Sabbath Object 4. By the Evening of the Sabbath the Jews do not mean onely the Sun-set Evening but they accounted the Sabbath Evening to begin at three a clock in the afternoon before and in this respect Maymony saith thus It is unlawful to do works in the Evenings of the Festival-Sabbaths from the time of the Evening sacrifice and forward even as upon the Evening of the weekly Sabbaths and who so doth work in them shall never see a sign of blessing and he is to be rebuked and to be made to leave off by force Though he is not for it to be scourged or excommunicated except in the Evening of the Passeover after Mid-day who so doth work therein after Mid-day he is to be scourged or excommunicated with the Niddui for the fourteenth of Nishan is not like the Evening of other Festival dayes because in it are the Feast and the killing of Sacrifices See Ains in Lev. 23. 5. Ans I grant that the Jews did make some kind of preparation both to their Festival-Sabbaths and to their weekly Sabbaths also from the time of the Evening-sacrifice and forwards till Bed-time for though they did not begin their day of cleannesse till Sun-set yet in regard of the many works that were to be done against their Feast-dayes which I have immediately named and in regard of preparing their Manna c. against the Sabbath their wise men held it convenient to forbear and leave off the ordinary works of their calling from the time of the Evening-sacrifice and forwards till bed-time and in that respect the Magistrates themselves did forbear to sit in their Courts of Judicature after the time of the Evening-sacrifice See Ains in Exod. 18. 22. But this degree of preparation had no other command from God but the general rule of conveniency 2 It is evident from the said Testimony that they did not esteem any part of the Evening neither before nor after Sun-set to be as a true part of the Sabbath it self because they did neither scourge nor excommunicate any man that did any servile work in this Evening as they did for working in any part of the Passeover Evening from Mid-day till Mid-night but if they had in their judgement esteemed any part of the Evening before the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self doubtlesse they would have punished such Transgressors more severely than for working upon the Passeover Evening for by Moses Law such persons ought to be stoned to death Numb 15. 34 35. Hence it follows first That the Evening before the Sabbath though it be called the Evening of the Sabbath according to their ceremonial custome yet it was no true part of the Sabbath it self but in way of preparation onely Secondly That the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath was indeed a true part of the Sabbath it self 5 It is evident that the Evening after the Sabbath was esteemed to be a true part of the Sabbath it self by the
testimony of the Evangelist John in Chap. 20. 19. the Text runs thus The same day at Evening being the first day of the week John calls this Evening not the second but the first day of the week and yet it must needs be now a good space after Sun-set for there were two Disciples now present that came from Emaus and it was towards Evening before they came from Emaus and they could not well come from thence to Jerusalem in lesse than three hours space for it was sixty Furlongs from Emaus to Jerusalem Luke 24. 13. 29. 36. Mr. Goodwin and others allow eight Furlongs to an English or Italian mile but the Hebrew Doctors allow but seven Furlongs and a half to an English mile See Ains in Lev. 16. 21. The New Testament doth not follow the Italian Furlong but the Greek Furlong or stadium Olympicum which contains six thousand feet and the Hebrew Doctors say that two thousand Cubits make a mile See Ains in Exod. 16. 29. The New Testament doth follow the Greek Customes as frequently as they followed the Greek Tongue Therefore in reason as the New Testament was written in Greek so it should follow the Greek stadium rather than the Italian besides I conceive that the Italian stadium came not into common use untill after the New Testament was written So then by the Hebrew Doctors account it was eight miles from Emaus to Jerusalem that is to say it was Eight English miles Now if you will allow but three hours time for the going of these eight miles it must needs be after Sun-set when they came to the Apostles and after they were come they spent some time in relating unto the Apostles what had happened to them the same day as they went to Emaus and as they were making this Relation Jesus came and stood in the midst of them Luke 24. 36. These circumstances considered it must needs be after the date of the Jews Ceremonial day before Christ came in among them and yet the Evangelist calls this time of the Evening the same day in which Christ rose from the dead and secondly he calls it the first day of the week So then by these two expressions the Evangelist puts the matter out of doubt to such as will be satisfied by plain consequences of Scripture that this latter Evening when Christ came into the house to the Apostles was a true part of the former day and yet it was after Sun-set and therefore it was after their Ceremonial day was begun 6 And lastly I may well bring hither all those five Arguments which I alleged in Chap. 5. to prove the latter Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan to be a true part of the fourteenth day and therefore it follows by good consequence hat the latter Evening of the Sabbath was a true part of the Sabbath it self Obj. It appears to me that the Natural day begins at the Sun-set evening for the Lord telleth Ezekiel in the ninth year of Jeconiahs captivity that he should be dumb untill the day that Jerusalem should be destroyed and untill a Messenger should come to Ezekiel to tell the news thereof Ezek. 24. 26 27. this is the Prediction now the accomplishment of this Prophecy is set down in Eze. 33. 21 22. In the twelfth year of our captivity in the tenth Month and in the fifth day of the Month then one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto Ezekiel and said The City is smitten now saith Ezekiel The hand of the Lord had been upon me in the evening before he that had escaped came and had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning and when he had opened my mouth I was no more dumb From these two Scriptures compared it is evident that the evening before the Messenger came and the morning after he was come are termed the same day therefore it follows by good consequence that the same day began in the evening Ans This is a strange collection to prove the evening to be the beginning of the Natural day the vanity of this collection will appear by the opening of two words in this Prophecy which must not be taken as you do in strict propriety of speech but in a figurative sense I mean the word Day and the word Dumb. 1 I say the word Day must not be taken in a strict sense for a proper Natural day of twenty four hours but it must be taken Figuratively for a time to come as it appears by the computation of time for Ezekiel is said to be dumb in the ninth year of Jeconiahs captivity in the tenth Month and in the tenth day of the Month Eze. 24. 1 2. in which day Ezekiels wise dyed vers 18. which was the pleasure of his eyes vers 16. and her death was for a sign unto the Iews that the Temple which was the pleasure of their eyes vers 21. should be destroyed and then in that day namely when the Temple should be destroyed he that escapeth in that day should come to Ezekiel and tell him And in that day viz. in time to come Ezekiels mouth should be opened unto him which escaped to tell him and then he should speak and be no more dumb ver 26 27. This is the Prediction now compare the story of events and that lyes thus The Temple was burnt on the tenth day of the fifth Month in the eleventh year of Zedekiah Jer. 52. 12 13. and there is no record to be found that any Messenger came to Ezekiel to tell him in the same day neither is it possible for any man to come from Jerusalem to Chaldea in one Natural day of twenty four hours therefore the Messenger that came to him in that day came to him in that day which is Figuratively put for the time to come for the Messenger came not to Ezekiel until seventeen Months after that the Temple was destroyed for hee came not till the fifth day of the tenth Month and in the twelfth year of Jeconias captivity Ezek. 33. 21. therefore this phrase the same day must not be understood of the same Natural day but of day at large for the term day is often put for a large time to come as in Ezek. 23. 38 39. Ezek. 33. 12. and in Deut. 27. 2 See Ains 2 Ezekiel is said to be dumb in the ninth year Ezek. 24. 12. 27. till the Messenger came to him in the twelfth year of Ieconiahs captivity in all which space Ezekiel was not dumb from ordinary speech as Zachary was Luk. 1. 20. neither yet was he dumb from Prophecying against other Nations as it appears by Eze. 26. 1. and Eze. 29. 1. and Eze. 31. but he was dumb or silent from Prophecying any more against the unbeleeving Iews as chap. 3. 26. untill this Messenger came with special tidings to certifie him how all things were accomplished as he had fore-told and now at the coming of this special Messenger Ezekiels mouth was opened again
to utter another Prophecy of the utter ruine of the remnant of the Iews that were left Ezek. 33. 2 3. and from this time forth he was no more dumb that is to say he was no more restrained from Prophecying to them of their utter ruine So then this Messenger was sent to Ezekiel on purpose to tell him the present state of things and to inquire of him what should be the future event of the remnant that were left Ezekiel could not chuse but hear of the burning of the Temple long before this Messenger came to him partly by the poor Captives and partly by the Souldiers and also he could not chuse but hear of the death of Gedaliah before this special Messenger came but such accidental tidings did not answer to the sign that was given for the time of his new Prophecying for the sign was this That a special Messenger should be sent unto him from Ierusalem to Chaldea in a day that is to say in a time to come and then Ezekiels mouth should be opened unto him to utter some new Prophecy to him though it was not according to their expectation for he fore-tels that the remnant that were left should likewise come to destruction Besides â—he hand of Prophecie that came upon Ezekiel in the Evening before the Messenger came may be taken as well for the first as for the latter Evening for God did often give Visions to his Prophets in the first Evening at the time of the Evening Sacrifice Act. 3. 1. Dan. 9. 21. Act. 10. 3 9. Therefore unlesse it can be proved that this Evening was the Sun-set Evening no concluding argument can be drawn from this Text to prove the Natural day to begin at the Sun-set Evening no though the term Day and the term Dumb had been spoken properly So then from all the premises I conclude that not the Evening before but the Evening after the Sabbath was a true part of the Sabbath it self and therefore they that take liberty to busie themselves about worldly matters in the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath do prophane that holy time that God hath sanctified to his own use CHAP. VIII Proving that the punctual time of Christs Resurrection was in the morning just at Sun-rising DOubtlesse it is a matter of necessary consequence not onely to prove cleerly the punctual time of Christs burial but of his Resurrection also for if the time of his Resurrection be uncertain how can a doubting conscience be satisfied that Christ lay three dayes in the heart of the earth according to the Prediction Therefore as I have proved the time of Christs burial to be finished when their festival-Festival-Sabbath began to lighten by the Evening-star so I say also that the time of his Resurrection was just about the time of Sun-rising on the first day of the week Christ did not rise from his grave before day-break as some would have it nor at day-break as others would have it by uncertain guesses Matthew saith that Mary Magdalen went out of the door of her house in the first day of the week when it began to dawn intending to perfume his burial with the sweet Odors that she had prepared in the Evening before the Sabbath Matth. 28. 1. But Mark saith That the Sun was just risen when she came to the Sepulchre Mark 16. 1. she spent all that space of time between day-break and Sun-rising partly in calling upon other holy women to go with her Luke 24. 10. and partly in going so much ground as was from her lodging to the Sepulchre and then when she was come to the Sepulchre there was a mighty Earthquake Mat. 28. 2. and then his grave was opened such a like Earthquake there was at the death of Christ which opened divers of the graves of the Saints and after the Resurrection of Christ they did rise also out of their graves and came into the holy City and appeared unto many Mat. 27. 52 53. By this Earthquake at Sun-rising when Mary Magdalen came to the Sepulchre it is evident that Christ did not rise out of his grave untill these holy women came to be witnesses of the time of his Resurrection I confesse that many Interpreters do think that Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came to the Sepulchre but such conjectures may not be admitted for it is a point of necessary consequence to be proved That Christ lay three dayes in the heart of the Earth but if you say That Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came then you cannot cleerly prove that Christ lay three dayes in the heart of earth for it may be demanded how long was he risen before they came If you say it was but one hour before I may as well say it was seven or eight hours before and then how can you satisfie a doubting conscience that Christ lay three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth I cannot think that Christ would suffer his own Prediction to remain so obscure without manifest proof of the full accomplishment of it Therefore I conclude that Christ rose not out of his grave till the holy women came to be Witnesses of the same which was also evidently declared unto them by this Earth-quake at their coming to the Sepulchre just at Sun-rising though they could not make that use of it till afterwards Object 1. This Earthquake might be past before the holy women came to the Sepulchre and they might know it afterward only by the Souldiers relation Ans Christ did never shew himself to any wicked man after his Resurrection Joh. 14. 19. Joh. 16. 20 22. Act. 10. 41. Therefore it is not like that he would make the Roman Souldiers to be the only Witnesses of this Earthquake which did evidence the time of his Resurrection I conceive the holy women would not give much credit to the testimony of the Roman Souldiers except this Earthquake had been general to all the parts of the City as wel as to that particular place but it seems to me that this Earthquake was not generally spread over the City but it was limited only to that particular place where Christs Sepulchre 〈◊〉 as a special testimony of the time of his Resurrection In like 〈◊〉 that place only where the Apostles were when they were threatned by the Hgh Priests was shaken as a testimony of encouragement to them not to be afraid of Tyrants Act. 4. 31. Act. 2. 2. Act. 12. 7. and so there was an Earthquake that opened the particular place where Paul was imprisoned Act. 16. 26. the bare testimony of the Souldiers would have been but of small credit to prove so weighty a matter as the time of Christs Resurrection was Therefore I conclude that Christ arose not from his Grave till these holy women came to testifie the time of his Resurrection by an Earthquake which happened at their first coming to his Sepulchre and that was just at Sun-rising I conceive that the holy women at first were amazed and did not know what use to make of this Earthquake Joh. 20. 9. but afterwards they did plainly perceive that it was a manifest demonstration of the time of his Resurrection and after this Earthquake Mary Magdalen went to the Apostles and told them that Christ was risen from the dead and she followed the Apostles back again to the Sepulchre And 3. when they saw no body in the Sepulchre they returned home 4 But Mary Magdalen staid still behind and then Christ himself did appear unto her as John doth testifie From all the premises it is evident that Christ lay in the heart of the earth about four hours of the sixth day and the whole Sabbath and about five hours of the first day of the week namely from Mid-night till Sun-rising and after this sort Christ lay three dayes and three nights in the heart of the Earth But those that begin the Sabbath at the Sun-set-Evening can never prove that Christ lay three dayes in the heart of the Earth Therefore that opinion must needs be of evill consequence First Because it falsifies the said Prediction And secondly Because it leads men to do servile works in the latter Evening of the Lords day as manyfold experience of mens worldly practises doth testifie in New England as soon as the Sun-set Evening of the Lords day is come It this Treatise may be of any use to satisfie a doubting conscience touching the time of Christs Burial and Resurrection and touching thâ— limits of the Lords day Give glory to God who giâ—â— gifts to men for that purpose Even so AMEN FINIS
Holy Time OR The True Limits of the Lords Day I. Proving That the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural Morning and that the Morning of the Natural day doth begin at Mid-night and so consequently that the Lords Day must both begin with the Natural Morning at Mid-night and end with the Natural Evening at Mid-night II. Proving That the Jews beginning of the Day at the Sun-set Evening was only in relation to the date of the Person purified from his Levitical uncleanness III. That The Jews themselves did hold That the Natural day did continue after Sun-set till Mid-night Maymony saith Grateful is a Command that is done in the hour of the same so say I grateful is the sanctifying of the Lords Day in the hour of the same In his Treatise of Offering Sacrifice Chap. 4. Sect. 1. Part II. By WILLIAM PYNCHON Esq Published by Authority Printed at London by R. I. and are to be sold by T. N. at the Sign of the three Lions in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. Grace and Peace to such as desire to know when the Lords Day doth begin and end To the end they might abstain from their own Worldly imployments in the Lords own Sanctified time THis point is the more difficult to be explaned because I have not met with any beaten road from other Interpreters But I have laboured to make it evident 1 That the Sanctified and separated time of the Lords Day is just according to the Natural day 2 I have laboured to make it evident That the Natural day begins with the Morning 3 That the Natural morning begins at Mid-night 4 That the Natural day and so consequently the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural morning and doth end with the Natural evening at Mid-night And for the want of the knowledge of these things I perceive that many godly persons do the works of their ordinary Callings in some part of the Lords sanctified and separated day as those do that begin and end the Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening and for their better information I forced my self to compose this Treatise I finde that the chief ground of their error doâ—h arise First from a mistaken interpretation of the first Darknesse to be a full Night of twelve hours and Secondly from a mistaken interpretation of the word Evening because they apprehend it to bee nothing else but a full Night These and sundry such like mistakes I conceive I have cleared I presum'd therefore that this insuing Treatise will be heartily welcome to every tender Conscience that doth truly desire to give unto the Lord his own separated and sanctified time Many godly Christians to my knowledge have been much exercised in their Studies and Meditations to finde out the true limits of the Lords Day that so they might abstain from the works of their particular Calling in every part of that sanctified and separated time from the beginning of the day to the full end thereof For their sakes also and at the special request of some of them I have laboured in this Treatise to prove That all the time of the first Darknesse was comprehended in the word Morning at last and that it took its beginning from the Mid-night at last namely as soon as all the several parts of the Natural day were shaped and set into their order And therefore the beginning of the Morning from the time of Mid-night must not be ascribed to the Romans as the first Authors of it as many unadvisedly do nor yet to any other Nation but it is the most ancient Scripture-Computation from the very first created day and so consequently it must needs be the true beginning of the Jews Sabbath This Tenent may happily seem strange at the first to such as have long held both in their judgement and practise That the Jews Sabbath and so consequently the Lords Day did properly begin at the Sun-set evening and of this judgement and practice are most of the Churches in New England and in that respect many Professors among them do without scruple take liberty in the Sun-set Evening of the Lords Day to do the servile works of their particular Callings and others take liberty to use Recreations But it is worthy to be taken notice of that whole Churches do many times erre both in their judgement and practice or else how could so much Corruption Superstition Idolatry and Prophanenesse creep in to several reformed Churches as there hath done from time to time in sundry ages Being therefore intreated by some godly persons in New England and being also moved thereunto by the fear of God I have taken this difficult Task in hand lest to confute this corrupt judgement and practice it should spread like Leaven to the corrupting of Posterity and so I rest Thine in the Lord WILLIAM PYNCHON The chief Heads of this Treatise OF HOLY TIME CHAP. I. PRoving that the first Darknesse in Gen. 1. 2. was not a compleat Night By three Reasons Page 1 The true Definition of a compleat Night It is the absence of the Suns shining for the space of twelve Hours p. 3 CHAP. II. Proving that Moses by the term Evening in Gen. 1. 5. doth not mean the whole Night but the latter half of the Artificial Day and the first half of the Night p. 6 This Chapter is distributed into four Sections and six Objections are answered SECT 1. The Hebrew word Gnereb translated the Evening in Gen. 1. 5. is explaned in p. 9 1 The first Darknesse cannot be called the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 2 Neither can the whole night be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 3 Neither can the Twilight be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10. And therefore it is a great mistake in our larger Annotation in Mat. 26. 20. to say that Harab properly signifieth mixed namely the mixture of Light and Darknesse in the Twilight and in that sense mis-applying Deut. 16. 6. which is meant of the time of sacrifising the Passeover and not of the time of feasting Our Ancestors held Gnereb the Evening to be at all times of the yeer an even and equal part of time to Boker the Morning p. 16 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Synecdoche for the later half of the Evening which doth alwayes begin at Sun-set and end at Mid-night p. 16 Gnereb is often put by the figure Metanomia for the West because the later Evening begins at Sun-set which when it is in the Equinoctial doth alwayes set in the West p. 17 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Metanomy for the last dayes and also for the last end of a thing because it is the last half of the natural day p. 17 SECT 2. Gnereb signifies such a connexion of several species as doth ever preserve the said several species distinct and intire without any confused mixture and so Gnarbaiim in the Dual number doth explain it and therefore
Gnarbaiim is eleven times over put for the two distinct parts of the natural Evening p. 19 And because Gnarbaiim the two Evenings are but the two distinct parts of the full natural Evening therefore the Seventy Interpreters do translate them in the singular as one proper Evening p. 22 And the Hebrew Text doth often make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening p. 23 SECT 3. Proving by seven demonstrative grounds that the natural Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun p. 24 The Jews divided the Artificial day into four great hours as they divided the Night into four Watches p. 27 CHAP. III. This Chapter hath three Sections and five Objections are answered SECT 1. Proving that the time of the first Darknesse was called Boker the Morning at last namely after all the parts of the natural day were shaped framed and set together p. 35 Boker the Morning doth signifie Early p. 35 Boker is put for Gods early seeking out either to punish the wicked or to protect the godly p. 37 Boker is put for the first time and for the first beginning of a thing p. 37 Boker is put for the Sun-set Evening because the time of Sun-set is the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day of Cleannesse for then the person purified began the date of his day of Cleannesse p. 40 56 86 SECT 2. Proving that the Morning doth begin in the darknight p. 41 SECT 3. Proving that the Morning in all likelihood doth begin at Midnight besides the former certain proof from the exact beginning and sending of the natural Evening from Mid-day to Midnight p. 44 CHAP. IV. This Chapter hath three Sections and four Objections are answered Proving that the Jews Custome in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sun-set Evening was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custome because the persons that were Ceremonially purified were commanded to begin the date of their new day of Cleannesse at that point of time p. 50. And hence it follows 1 That this accidental beginning must not be accounted for the true beginning of the natural day 2 Therefore the Sun-set Evening is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lords day p. 50 The Jews were cleansed from their Ceremonial defilements in two degrees of time 1 In the time of the afternoon by washing or baptizing their bodies 2 In the time of the second Evening which did alwayes begin at Sun-set then and not till then they must begin the date of their day of Cleannesse p. 51 54 All Israel are called men of Holinesse in regard of their outward purity by their Ceremonial Cleansings p. 54 The Jews Morrow began at Sun-set in Ceremonial respects onely p. 56 86 It is disputed by some that the Sun-set Evening is not fully come untill it be full Twilight or somewhat past or else they confesse it cannot be proved that Christ lay three dayes in his grave p. 57 104 The time of Sun-set is fully come as soon as the body of the Sun is gone out of sight and therefore before it is Twilight p. 57 The time of Christs burial was at Star light p. 7. 105 They did not begin their Religious Festival Suppers untill three Stars appeared in the sky p. 60 The Jews observed a double date of the day 1 They observed the date of their Ceremonial day 2 They observed the date of the Natural day for several purposes p. 61. 95 96. at Object 18 CHAP. V. Proving that the Passeover-Evening did begin and end according to the Natural Evening from Mid-day to Midd-night p. 63 And in this Chapter eighteen Objections are Answered Some think that no other Evening belonged to the Jews Sabbath but the Evening before the Sabbath but they are much mistaken for that was the Evening of the Sabbath no otherwise but onely in relation to the date of the person puâ—ified But the proper Evening of the Sabbath it self begun at Mid-day and ended at Mid-night as the Passeover Evening did p. 64. 110. 95. at Object 18. All Passeovers were Sacrifices and therefore the blood of them all must be sprinkled at the Lords Altar in his Temple p. 69 Blood was the Lords portion and in that respect he did prohibit the Jews to eat blood and likewise some sorts of fat p. 69 The Lord permitted many private Altars for Sacrifice in the dayes of Samuel for the use of a particular person or Tribe but he allowed but one publick Altar for the publick Sacrifices of all the twelve Tribes such as the Passeovers were p. 70 The Passeover-day was none of the Jews Festival Sabbaths it was but a half Holy-day p. 72 No Levites but Priests onely must sprinkle the blood of the Sacrifice upon the Lords Altar p. 74 It was not convenient for above twenty persons to make their count for one Lamb-Passeover p. 75 A digression to open some difficult phrases about the Passeover because they are borrowed from the unusual known dialect of the Thalmud p. 77 The time of Christs Burial was at Star-light p. 83. 57. 105 Boker the Morning is put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day which did exactly begin at Sun-set 86 The Jews accounted the first half of the night to belong to the former day as a true part thereof in the case of their Religious Feasting upon their Passeovers and in other cases also p. 90. 51. 64 110 The second part of the Passeover Evening was the appointed season for the time of their Religious Feasting from Sun-set till Mid-night p. 93 CHAP. VI. Proving that the day of Reconciliation was an extraordinary long Fasting Sabbath and therefore the beginning of that day ought not to be produced as an exemplary patern neither for the beginning of the Lords day nor yet for the beginning of any other Fasting day p. 98 No Fasting day among the Jews was so long as the day of Attonement was p. 110 CHAP. VII Answering their Objections more particularly that hold the Lords day to begin at the Sun-set Evening p. 103 Such as hold the Sabbath day to begin at the Sun-set Evening can never prove that Christ lay three dayes in his grave p. 104 Luke saith that the time of Christs burial was when it began to be Star-light p. 105. 57. 83 The Hebrew Doctors held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self p. 110. 50. 64 The Hebrew Doctors allow no more but seven Furlongs and a half to an English mile p. 114 CHAP. VIII Proving that the punctual time of Christs Resurrection was in the Morning just at the time of Sun-rising p. 117 A TABLE OF Such Scriptures as are Illustrated or Explaned Genesis Chap. Vers Page 1 2 35 44 1 5 8 16 22 31 14 15 58 24 63 51 32 2 21 38 38 17 18 12 43 9 12 49 27 17 24 37 Exod. 8 21 22 13 12 6 19 65 79 12 7 68 12 8 42 93 95 97 12 11 48 12 1
created before the light was created And so likewise for this Reason Job doth teach us in what order we must place the four ends of the two Lines of Latitude and Longitude now called the foure Cardinall Points of the Compass by placing a man in this order to view the Globe 1 He calleth the North point the left hand 2 He calleth the South point the right hand 3 He calleth the East point before 4 He calleth the West point behind See Tremelius for this in Job 23. 89. So then He that desires to behold the Globe in a right order how the God of Nature did divide it and quarter it must place the North point of the Globe at his left hand the East before the South at his right hand and the West behind See Ains in Psal 89. 13. and in Numb 2. 3 29. 2 The holy Scriptures do often direct us to observe the foure ends of the two Lines of Latitude and Longitude 1 Because they divide the whole earth into four quarters 2 Because they divide the heavens into four quarters And in this respect the four quarters of the Earth are sometimes called the four wings or the four corners of the Earth Revel 7. 1. Numb 24. 17. Isa 11. 12. Ezek. 7. 2. Job 37. 3. and 38. 13. 2 The Heavens are divided into four quarters and in this respect the four Winds are said to come from the four quarters of Heaven Jer. 49. 36. Ezek. 37. 9. Dan. 7. 2. and 8. 2. Zach. 2. 6. Mat. 24. 31. And when the Lines of Latitude and Longitude are drawn upon a Compass Dyal or upon a Globe then they make the four winds in the four quarters of Heaven to lie thus and to be called thus North-East South-East South-west North-west And thus the Holy Scripture doth force us to observe the various use of these two Lines of Longitude and Latitude and therefore doubtless Job was not ignorant but spake as a man of knowledge when he said that God stretched out the North upon the Empty First He was not ignorant of the North point Nor secondly How far it stretched Nor thirdly of the time of the Globes emptiness 3 Ezekiel doth direct us to take notice of the North point as the first in order of the sour Cardinal points because he doth first begin the division of the Land of Canaan from the North quarter and so he ends it with the West quarter read Ezek. 47. from ver 15. to the end of the Chapter and in this order also the Lord was pleased to let Moses take a view of the land he stood in the Land of Gilead and from thence in the first place he viewed Dan which was the furthest Northward and Northally in Galilee which lay also Northward Secondly Then he viewed the land of Ephraim and half Manasseh which lay Eastward from him in the middle of the Land Thirdly Then he viewed the Land of Judah to the South And fourthly Then he viewed the Land of Jerico which lay in the West of Canaan See Ains in Deut. 34. 1 2 3. Secondly I will indeavor to prove that the Morning began with the first darkness and that the first darkness must be placed at the North point by another phrase of Job for Job doth tell us that when the winds have purged the Air and made it clear from clouds and vapours that then out of the North a golden light doth shew it self Job 37. 22. Our eie-sight may witness the truth of this point for in a clear Morning before Sun-rising we may often see a golden list of light stretching it self from the North point to the East and again after Sun-set we may often see a golden list of light stretching it self from the West point to the North point This Observation First Of the golden list from North to East may teach us that the root of the Morning comes from the North point where the Midnight begins by the Compass-Dyall And Secondly The golden list in the Evening after Sun-set from West to North may teach us that the Evening doth reach unto Mid-night or to the North point Thirdly I prove that the Natural Morning doth being at Mid-night because the morning of the fifteenth day of Nishan began at Mid-night I collect it thus Moses at the first passeover in Egypt gave a very strict charge to all the Israelites that no man should go out of the door of his house untill the Morning Exod. 12. 22. namely not untill the morning of the fifteenth day was come this was Moses express charge Hence I reason thus if any man of Israel had gone out of the door of his house before the morning of the fifteenth day was truely come contrary to this charge as those did that went out of the door of their houses to gather Manna on the Sabbath-day morning they would have been condemned as Transgressors for it as they were that gathered Manna on the Sabbath day morning Exod. 16. 27. 28. But all the people of Israel went out of the doors of their houses either at Mid-night or presently after as it appears by ver 33. and 39. and yet none of them were condemned as transgressors for it But on the contrary their exact obedience to all Moses commands is twice over testified in ver 28. and twice over again in ver 50. The Text saith they did all things as God commanded Moses and Aaron so did they Even as exactly as Noah did in making the Arke Gen. 6. 22. or as Moses did in making the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 16. for their obedience is alike set out by the same double expression Therefore seeing all the people were thus exact in their obedience to all Moses commands it follows that they did not go out of the doors of their houses untill the morning of the fifteenth day was come and yet they went out of the doors of their houses at Mid-night or presently after because they knew that the morning of the fifteenth day was begun at Mid-night Yea It is evident that Moses intended they should all go out of their doors in the Morning presently after Mid-night because he had foretold them that all the first-born of Egypt should be slain at Mid-night Exod. 11. 4 5. And secondly He had foretold them that the Egyptians would thrust them out of Egypt v. 1. and that the Nobles would come and bow down to Moses saying Go thou out and all the people at thy feet Exod. 11. 8. Yea Moses did prepare them for a sudden departing from their houses because he commanded to eat the Passeover with their loyns girded with their shooes on their feet and with their staves in their hands and to eat it in haste Exod. 12. 11. all these things do testifie that Moses intended they should go out of the doors of their houses as soon as ever the morning of the fifteenth day was come and he meant it was come as soon as Midnight was come Object 5. I
meditate or to study divine mysteries in the heat of the day at the first looking forth of the Evening See Ains in Psa 55. 18. In like sort they used to bathe or baptize themselves from their Ceremonial defilements at the looking forth of the Evening and then also the water was well warmed by the Sun and so made the more fit for bathing I grant also that it was lawfull for them to bathe themselves from their Ceremonial defilements all the time that the Sun looked forth by his shadowes towards the West till it was ready to depart out of that Horizon But this is to be marked that none were commanded to baptize themselves in any part of the morning onely the Priests were commanded to wash their hands and their feet every morning although they were clean before See Ains in Exod. 30. 19 20. neither were they commanded to baptize themselves after Sun-set for except they were baptized before Sun-set they could not begin the day of their cleannesse at Sun-set according to command 2 It is evident that the appointed season for baptizing themselves from all their Ceremonial defilements was in the time of the first Evening by the Example of Bathshebaes baptizing herself The Text saith it was in the Evening when David arose from his bed and walked upon the Roof of the Kings house then he saw a woman washing her self and the woman was very beautiful to look upon 2 Sam. 11. 2. This Evening when David arose from his bed cannot be understood of the latter Sun-set Evening for then for want of Sun-light he could not have discerned her beauty from the Roof of his house but it must be understood of the afternoon Evening for in those hot Countries they used to sleep in the afternoon upon some Bed or Pallat as Ishbosheth did 2 Sam. 4. 5. from whence he arose and walked upon the flat Roof of his house and thence he beheld the beauty of Bathsheba as she was baptizing her self hence it may be gathered that the unclean persons did use to baptize themselves from their Ceremonial defilements in the afternoon Evening 3 It is also evident that they baptized themselves in the after-noon Evening from their Ceremonial defilements by a famous example in Josh 7. for when the Lords wrath was gone out against them in that the men of Ai slew about thirty six of Israel because that Achan had stoln the excommunicate thing then said the Lord to Joshua at the Even-tide Vp and sanctifie the people and say Sanctifie your selves against to morrow Josh 7. 6 13 14 15. and how else must they sanctifie themselves for the Lords presence at his Ark on the morrow but by washing themselves from their Ceremonial defilements for there were scarse any but they were defiled by one accident or other and none might come before the Lords Ark in their Ceremonial defilements upon pain of being cut off and before Joshua could make proclamation through the Camp for their purification and for their solemn meeting to seek the Lord for mercy on the morrow it would require a good space of time therefore this Evening cannot be understood of the Sun-set Evening but of the noon-tide Evening as I have explained the matter more at large in Chap. 2. 4 All Israel were warned when ever they came before the Lords presence in his Tabernacle to be cleansed from their Ceremonial defilements especially at their three solemn feasts but they were not tyed to the observation of their Ceremonial baptizing when they resorted to their Synagogues on their weekly Sabbath daies for in those places both the clean and the unclean might meet together in Gods worship as I have opened the matter in my discourse of the Jews Synagogues Discipline But under pain of the Lords displeasure none might approach to the Lords Sanctuary without their legal purificatīons as it is manifest by the example of Gods displeasure against some of Ephraim Manasses when they came to the Passeover in the daies of Hezekiah with out their purifications but as soon as Hezekiah perceived their error which doubtless the consciences of the visited persons made them to acknowledge he prayed to the Lord for them the Lord was intreated and healed the people 2 Chron. 30. 19 20. and for the better avoiding of this error afterwards it was observed as a custom among the Jews to go out of the Country up to Jerusalem before the Feast of Passeover to purifie themselves Joh. 7. 55. which purification was effected by two degrees of cleanness First By baptizing themselves in the first Evening And secondly By the Sun-setting upon them after their baptizing as I have formerly proved the matter for none might approach the Sanctuary until they could declare their purification to the Priests that were the Porters 2 Chron. 23. 19. as Paul did Act. 21. 26. And the Lord did so much approve of their Ceremonial purity both by their actual baptizing and by their abstinence from unclean meats and from all other things else that might defile them That for that very obedience he doth cal the whole Nation All Israel are called men of Holiness in regard of their ceremonial purity Men of holiness Exod. 22. 31. for all the Nation in general were very careful to maintain this kind of holiness And the Hebrew Doctors say that if any man of the common people did but say I am clean to keep the sin-water he was to be trusted for there is no man of Israel too vild for it See Ains in Num. 19. 9. that is to say no man of Israel was too vild for it if he were but Ceremonially clean and in this sense all Israel were holy namely to the purifying of their flesh for the Law is not of Faith Gal. 3. 12. a man might keep the Law to the purifying of his flesh though they wanted saving-Faith to apply the blood of Christ for the cleansing of their consciences from the guilt of sin And thus much touching the first degree of time in which they must perform the first degree of their Ceremonial cleannesse SECT 2. I Come now to speak of the second degree of time wherein their Ceremonial cleanness was perfected and that was as soon as the Sun was set upon them after their Ceremonial baptizing and from that time also they began to date the new day of their cleanness First I prove that God ordained the Sun-set Evening to be the time of perfecting the cleanness of the baptized person ere he None were compleatly purified by being baptized til the Sun was set upon them could begin the day of his cleanness by Deut. 23. 10 11. There Moses saith thus to all Israel If there be in thee a man that is not clean by reason of an accident in the night then he shall go out of the Camp and he shall hath himself in water at the looking forth of the Evening and what then was he now made clean as soon as ever
the beginning of the Sun-set Evening is as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight Seventhly Joshua doth testifie that the Evening is come as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight Jos 10. 26 27. and Daniel saith That Darius did labour to deliver him till the going down of the Sun Dan. 6. 14. But the Seventy say till Evening and Moses saith The soul that toucheth a dead creeping thing shall be unclean untill the Evening Lev. 22. 6. but saith he in vers 7. He shall bathe himself in water and then he shall be clean when the Sun is gone down from all these places it is evident that the term Sun-set and the term Evening are terms convertible for the Sun-set Evening Eighthly It is evident by this reason that the latter Evening doth begin as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight because there is no interim between the End of the first Evening and the Beginning of the latter Evening and I have proved in Chap. 2. that the first Evening doth end as soon as ever the Sun doth leave off to make any more shadows upon the face of the Earth For the whole time of the first Evening is described by its shadows looking forth towards the place of its Rest or by the stretching out of its shadows upon the face of the Earth as I have expounded Jer. 6. 4. and therefore it follows by necessary consequence that the latter Evening must begin at that instant time This consequence is so cleer that none that loves plain truth can deny it But to prevent rash zeal and unadvised haste in feasting upon the holy flesh the Hebrew Doctors advised to stay a little time after Sun-set They begin their Religious Festival Suppers after Sun-set as soon as three stars appeared in the skie for the Sun must go down upon the baptized person before his Purification was perfected and then he began the date of his new day and then he was made fit to eat of the holy flesh yet they advised to stay a little time after Sun-set namely till three stars appeared in the skie Mamony saith That the unclean may not eat of the Heave-offering untill their Sun be set and three stars appear after the Sun is gone down See Ains in Lev. 22. 9. Thus have I shewed how God ordained the time of the two Evenings for the effecting of two degrees of cleannesse and now I shall in the next Section shew That all the latter Evening from Sun-set till Mid-night was appointed for the time of their Religious feasting upon their Passeovers and Peace-offerings and that this part of the night was a true part of the former natural day SECT 3. FRom the date of the new Day to the person purified at the Sun-set Evening we may see the true Reason that did inforce the Jewes to begin all their Ceremonial Sabbaths at that time and of all other dayes by occasion thereof But this beginning of the day was no more to be accounted for the beginning of the natural Day than the beginning of their yeer in Nishan was to be accounted for the first month by Creation for they began their yeer in Nishan upon the occasion of their famous deliverance out of Egypt in that month but from the Creation the yeer began in Tizri which now is called the Seventh month and this seventh month was afterwards made famous again by Joshua's Conquest of Canaan and by his division of the land thereupon to the nine Tribes and a half in this seventh month Jos 14. and in remembrance thereof they began all their yeers of Rest and all their Jubiles from that month See Ains in Exod. 12. 1 2. Lev. 25. 8 9 10. Exod. 34. 22. Deut. 14. 22. and likewise the yeers of all Servants and Leases began at this time Lev. 25. And after this manner they observed a double date according to the beginning of their double day The Jews observed both the date of their ceremonial day and the date of their natural day for several purposes See Ains in Lev. 23. 20. 1 The person purified began the date of his day of cleannesse from the Sun-set Evening 2 They dated the time of their Religious feasting according to the natural day till midnight after for by the Law they were expresly commanded to eat the flesh of their Peace-offerings in the same day in which it was sacrificed Lev. 7. 15. now it was not possible for them at sometimes at least to eat the holy flesh of their Passeovers and of their commanded Peace-offerings in the same Ceremonial day because the time of sacrificing their Passeovers and Peace-offerings did many times continue until it was night namely till Sun-set and so it fell out in the time of Josias Passeover 2 Chron. 35. 14. Hence it follows by a necessary consequence That the command to eat the holy flesh in the same day must be understood not of the same Ceremonial but of the same natural day and in case any of the holy flesh had remained uneaten in the same day in which it was sacrificed it must be burnt and then sometime it must be all burnt and none of it eaten namely when it was sacrificed at the point of Sun-set Secondly If the date of their Ceremonial day had born all the sway then they must not only have finished the killing of all their Sacrifices but of all their Religious feasts also before Sun-set and then our Saviour and his Apostles had sinned because they kept their Religious Feast after Sun-set namely in the night wherein he was betrayed for though they caused their Passeover to be sacrificed on the fourteenth day yet they deferred the time of their feasting till after Sun-set when the fifteenth day was begun according to the date of the person purified But if you will grant that our Saviour did not sin against that Command of eating their Passeover in the same day then you must also grant that the same fourteenth day by Creation was not ended at Sun-set but continued still till Mid-night after Thirdly Hence it follows that seeing all Ceremonial Customes are now abolished by the death of Christ that Gods people ought not to Judaize in beginning the Lords day according to the Jews Ceremonial Customes but according to the beginning and ending of the natural day from midnight to Mid-night Objection 3. How could the Jewes observe a double date of a double day in one and the same naturall day without confusion Answ Their double date of their double day was not strange to them no more than their double date of their double yeer was to them they could sort out such things as belonged to the beginning of the yeer from the seventh month from the things that belonged to the beginning of the yeer in the first month without any confusion at all so in like manner they could sort out all those Religious duties that belonged
to their Ceremonial date from those duties that belonged to the date of the naturall day They knew that the Baptised person must begin his new day at Sun-set and that all Evening Sacrifices must be finished before Sun-set and yet in respect of the time of Feasting they knew that the same Natural day did still continue till mid-night Maymony saith That the Priests must eat the Peace-offerings of the Congregation in the same Day and in half the Night See Ains in Lev. 23. 20. Hence you may see that the Hebrew Doctors whom Maymony follows did hold that the same day in the case of Feasting did continue till mid-night and indeed this time was sufficient for the accomplishment of all their religious Feasts in like sort Solomon cals the Twilight evening of the night the same day wherein the Sacrifice was slain Prov. 7. 9. but it was not the same Ceremonial day for at Sun set the Jews began their next day or their morrow but for a fuller answer see my answer in Ch. 5. to Obj. 8. 14. 17. CHAP. V. Proving that the Passeover did begin and end according to the Natural Evening from mid-day to mid-night I Have shewed in Cha. 2. and Sect. 2. that the natural Evening was divided into two equal parts and now I shall shew you that the Passeover was solemnized in both the parts of that Evening First All the Passeovers and all the Peace-offerings that were annexed thereunto were all sacrificed in the time of the first Evening and it was utterly unlawful to sacrifice any Passeover either before this evening began or after this evening was ended which did ever begin at Mid-day and end at Sun-set Secondly All the Passeovers of Canaan must be feasted on with Religious solemnity in the time of the latter evening But first I will speak of the time of Sacrificing all their Passeovers and that was between the two evenings namely it was between the beginning of the first and the beginning of the latter evening this was the precise limited time for this work 1 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in Aegypt between the two evenings Exod. 12. 6. 2 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in the Wildernesse between the two evenings Numb 9. 3. 5. 11. 3 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in Canaan between the two evenings Levit. 23. 4 5. This space of time is called the appointed season thereof Numb 9. 2. Levit. 23. 4. Solomon Jarchi expounds the two evenings thus From the sixth hour which is at Mid-day and forwards it is called between the two Evenings for that the Sun declineth towards his going down c. between the evening of the day and the evening of the night the evening of the Day is from the beginning of the seventh hour and the evening of the Night is when the night begins See Ains in Numb 9. 3. 2 Maymony saith thus The killing of the Passeover is after Mid-day and if they kill it before it is not allowable and they kill it not but after the daily evening Sacrifice and burning of Incense and after they have trimmed the Lamps then they begin to kill the Paschal Lamb until the end of the day See Ains in Exod. 12. 6. Till the end of the day was till the Sun-set evening for after Sun-set saith Maymony the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawfull See Ains in Lev. 1. 9. Lev. 6. 9. Lev. 7. 18. Hence we see that the Hebrew Doctors held it as a Canon among them that no Passeover was allowable if it were killed either before Mid-day or after Sun-set but all the time between was Gods appointed season Num. 9. 2. Lev. 23. 4. Ordinarily they began to kill their Passeovers at half an hour after two a Clock but if the Passeover day fell out to be the * Some think of no other Evening belonging to the Jews Sabbath but the evening before the Sabbath but they are grosly mistaken for that was no otherwise the evening of the Sabbath but in relation to the new day to the purified person but the evening of the Sabbath if self began and ended as the Passeover evening did from mid-day to mid-night evening of the Sabbath namely that evening of the Sabbath which began at Mid-day then they began to kill their Passeover sonner But still this must be remembred which Maymony often noteth that they never kild any Passeover till after the daily evening Sacrifice and some other services that did ever accompany it See Ains in Numb 28. 4. But say the Hebrew Doctors God setteth no particular hour neither for the killing of the daily evening Sacrifice nor yet for the killing of the Passeover but in general he commanded them to be killed between the two evenings Hence it follows That if they killed the daily evening Sacrifice or the Passeover or the Peace-offerings in any part of the after-noon between the time of Mid-day and the Sun-set evening they were allowable and according to Gods own limited time But because God requires that all his Worship in all the Circumstances of it should be done decently and in order both in regard of time place and persons therefore the chief Rulers of the people thought it their duty to suit all the particular businesses about the Passeover and the daily evening Sacrifice to certain particular hours in the evening so as all things might be done with the best conveniency decency and order that one duty might not shoulder out another The Hebrew Doctors in the Babylonian Thalmud say thus the daily evening Sacrifice was killed at the eighth hour and a half and it was offered at the ninth hour and a half that is to say at half an hour after three a Clock But in the evening of the Passover it was killed at the seventh hour and a half and offered at the eighth hour and a half that is to say at half an hour after two a Clock But if the evening of the Passeover did fall out to be upon the evening of the Sabbath then it was killed at the sixth hour and a half that is to say at half an hour after twelve a Clock and it was offered at seven and a half See Ains in Exod. 12. 6. Buxtorfius also in his Hebrew Lexicon upon the word Gnarbaiim doth from the Hebrew Doctors shew that if the Passeover evening fell upon the Sabbath evening that then they began to kill the daily evening Sacrifice at half an hour after twelve a Clock because of the manifold businesses that belonged to the Sabbath besides the killing of their Passeovers therefore that the doing of one duty might not thrust out another their Wise-men did set an order of time when they should begin to kill the daily evening Sacrifice which in all the days of the year was deferred to the last place except on the Passeover evening and then it was ever preferred to the first place and when ever the Passeover evening fell
placed therein 1 King 3. 4. and in that respect David took care to provide a competent number of Priests to attend it But afterwards when David had recovered the Ark from the Philistims and had brought it into the Tent that he had provided for it in Jerusalem He divided the Priests into two parts and he appointed Asaph and his brethren to minister before the Lord at Jerusalem 1 Chron. 16. 37. and he appointed Zadoc and his brethren to minister at the Lords brazen Altar at his Tabernacle at Gibbeon 1 Chron. 16. 39. But when Solomon had finished his Temple he caused the Priests first of all to bring the Ark of the Lord into its place provided for it in the Temple and then he caused the Priests to bring up the Tabernacle of the Congregation with all the holy vessels into the Temple 1 King 8. 4. and after this manner the Lord refused Ephraim and chose the Tribe of Judah and Mount Sion of Benjamin which he loved Psal 78. 68. This brazen Altar was made and consecrated to be the publick Altar for the General Assemblies of all the twelve Tribes Exod. 27. 1. Numb 7. 1. and in that respect where ever this Altar was placed there was the chief High place untill Solomon had made another brazen Alrar in the place of it 2 Chron. 4. 1. At this Altar was offered the daily Morning and Evening sacrifices for all the twelve Tribes and the Passeovers of all the twelve Tribes and they might not be offered in any of the former private High places The Hebrew Doctors say They sacrificed not the Passeover in a private High-place no not in the time when private High-places were permitted and whosoever offereth the Passeover in a private High-place is beaten for it is said in Deut. 16. 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover in any of thy gates we have been taught that this is a prohibition to kil it in a private High-place although it be in the time when private High-places were permitted See Ains in Deut. 16. 5. and such a private Altar as this was at Bethlem where Ishai had a yeerly Sacrifice and Feast for all the family 1 Sam. 20. 26. and such a private Altar as this did Saul build with stone 1 Sam. 14. 35. And of these Altars it is said that when Asa and Jehosaphat destroyed the Idolatrous High-places that they did not destroy these High-places 1 King 22. 43. 2 Chron. 15. 17. Now from all the premises it follows That seeing they might not kill their Passeovers at several High-places nor sprinkle the blood on several Altars but at the general High-place and at the general Altar onely That all the Passeovers in Canaan could not be killed and their blood sprinkled in so short a time as about the time of Sun-set and therefore that Command in Deut. 16. 6. at the going down of the Sun must not be understood of the Sun-set Evening but it must be understood of the whole time of the Suns declining from Mid-day till Sun-set just according to the time of the two Evenings in Exod. 12. 6. 2. Let me adde another Reason why the going down of the Sun The Passeover day was no Sabbath it was but a half holy-day in Deut. 16. 6. cannot be understood of the time of Sun-set namely because the fifteenth day according to the date of the person purified began at Sun-set but no Passeover might be sacrificed after the fifteenth day was come but all are commanded to be sacrificed in the fourteenth day at Even 3. No other part of the fourteenth day was commanded to be kept holy but the Evening of the fourteenth day The Jerusalemy and the Babylonian Thalmuds say that men might follow their work and labour all the first half of the day but at Mid-day say they they must leave off and begin their Rest Maymony also saith It is not unlawful to do work in the fourteenth of Nishan save from the midst of the day and so forwards But saith he whosoever doth work in the Passeover Evening after Mid-day he is to be scourged or excommunicated because the Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan is not like to the Evening of other Festival dayes because in it is the Sacrifice and the Feast See Ains in Lev. 23. 5. From these Testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors may be observed these four Thalmudical Tenents 1 That the fourteenth of Nishan was not a full holy-day as some do unadvisedly affirm it was no more but a half-holiday namely the full Evening onely 2 That the Jews observed two sorts of Evenings to every Sabbath one before the Sabbath for the date of the person purified and another from Mid-day and so forwards for the Evening of the 14. of Nishan saith Maymony is not like unto the evening of other Festival dayes because in it is the Sacrifice and the Feast But the Evening of other Festival dayes meaning the Evening before had no sacrifice but yet the Mid-day Evening of every Festival Sabbath was as holy as the Passeover Evening and had Sacrifice and feasting belonging to it 3 That the Evening of the fourteenth day was the time of sacrificing all their Passeovers 4 That from the time of Sun-set till Mid-night was the time of Feasting on the Passeover and that it belonged to the Evening of the fourteenth day Hence I conclude that when Moses commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in the Evening about the going down of the Sun Deut. 16. 6. he did not mean it of the Sun-set Evening but of the Mid-day Evening for then the Sun doth first begin to go down or decline Object 4. If the businesse about the Passeover was so restrained as you say it was 1 To be killed by the Priests and Levites onely 2 To be killed at one Temple onely 3 And that the blood must be sprinkled at one Altar onely Then I do not see how they could sacrifice all the Passeovers of Canaan between the two Evenings from Mid-day to Sun-set for there could not be lesse than a hundred thousand Passeovers and Peace-offerings when all the twelve Tribes met together though you do allow twelve or thirteen persons to each Passeover Ans I think I have made it evident already 1 That all the Passeovers of Canaan were killed by the Priests and Levites onely 2 In one Temple onely 3 That all their blood was sprinkled by the Priests onely 4 On one Altar onely and all this was done in the appointed season thereof namely between the two Evenings And this was no impossible but a fecible thing if all circumstances of quick dispatch be rightly weighed 1 There was a competent number of Priests Levites that waited upon this service for though at first the number of the Priests and Levites in the Wildernesse from thirty yeers old to fifty was but eight thousand five hundred and eighty Num. 4. 48. yet at length they were so multiplied that in the dayes of David they were eight
and thirty thousand men 1 Chro. 23. 3. So many hands therefore would make but light work of a hundred thousand Passeovers in the time of the first Evening from Mid-day till Sun-set 2 The place where they killed all their Passeovers and Peace-offerings was not strait but conveniently spacious for these kind of sacrifices might be killed in any part of the Court of the Temple because they were numbred among their lighter holy things But the most holy things such as the Burnt-offering Sin-offering and Trespasse-offerings were these must be killed neerer to the Altar than the Passeovers and Peace-offerings were namely upon the ground close by the North-side of the Altar Lev. 1. 11. Lev. 7. 2. But the light holy things such as the Passeover and Peace-offerings were them they killed and received the blood in Bowls in any part of the Court-yard saith Manymony See Ains in Lev. 1. 11. 3 Though no Levite might sprinkle the blood of any Sacrifice upon the Altar yet for the quicker dispatch of many Sacrifices No I evites none but Priests onely must sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice upon the Altar they might kill and receive the blood in Bowls and so bring it to the Priests that stood ready at the foot of the Altar to receive it and to sprinkle it upon the Altar for no Levite but Priests onely might sprinkle the blood upon the Altar for the sprinkling of the blood was of the Essence of the sacrifice as the Hebrew Doctors do collect See Ains in Lev. 1. 5. 6. Exod. 12. 45. The Levites might kill and flay and receive the blood in Bowls and bring it to the Priests that stood ready to receive it at their hands at the foot of the Altar 2 Chron. 29. 34 35. 2 Chro. 30. 17. 2 Chron. 35. 11. and this occasioned the Priest to make the more quick dispatch and especially considering the Priests and Levites were so dextrous in their office they might kill a hundred thousand Passeovers and Peace-offerings between Mid-day and Sun-set and there is a cleer example that all this was done in the time and manner aforesaid in the eighteenth yeer of Josias and yet there never was the like Passeover kept in Israel namely not when Israel was joyned with Judah there was not the like Passeover and yet doubtlesse there were as many Paschal Lambs but never the like multitude of Peace-offerings that were added to the Passeover and in that respect they were called the Passeover as they are in Deut. 16. 2. 4. from the dayes of Samuel the Prophet unto that day 2 Chro. 35. 18. Object 5. How could so many thousand Passeovers be rosted in one Temple and how could so many thousand people sit there in companies to feast on their Passeovers Ans As for the great business of Rosting so many Passeovers It was not tyed precizely to the Temple as the sacrificing was for though there were many Passeovers Rosted in the Temple as there were in the dayes of Josiah 2 Chron. 35. 13. yet that business might also be transmitted to any house in the Holy City as I shewed a little before and as the example of our Saviour and his Apostles doth testifie for our Saviour was at Bethany when he sent two of his Disciples to make ready the Passeover 1 By carrying their Lamb to the Temple to be sacrificed and thence to a private house in the holy City to be rosted and as soon as the Sun-set Evening was come our Saviour came to the place appointed and as soon as the hour for feasting was come our Saviour sat down with the twelve and he continued in feasting with the twelve first on the Passeover and then 2 on their Peace-offerings with his prayers and exhortations It was not convenient for above twenty persons to joyn together for one Passeover the full time of the latter Evening from Sun-set till Midnight Matth. 26. 18 20. By this example we see that thirteen persons may conveniently joyn together at one Passeover and the Hebrew Doctors say That twenty may make their account for one Lamb Exod. 12. 4. but not above twenty By this means we may perceive that all the Passovers in Canaan might well be dispatched in the Evening of the fourteenth day in the first Evening they might be all sacrificed and in the second Evening they might all be feasted on with Religious solemnity without any doubt to the contrary Reason 3. I will now return to prove by a third Reason that the going down of the Sun in Deu. 16. 6. must be understood from the first going down of the Sun from Mid-day till Sun-set because the next phrase will not suffer it to be understood otherwise At the season thou camest out of Egypt Object 6. Here it may be demanded what season was it in which they came out of Egypt Answ It was in the strength or in the body of the day Exod. 12. 41. namely it was about Mid-day The Hebrew Doctors say That as God brought Israel out of Egypt at Mid-day so he slew the first-born of Egypt at Mid-night The Israelites did not flye out of Egypt as persons frighted either in the Sun-set Evening or in the Twilight as it were through stealth or through fear as Zedekiah did out of Jerusalem Ezek. 12. but they went out of Egypt with a high hand in the fight of all the Egyptians Numb 33. 3. or they went out in the strength or in the body of the day for at Mid-day the Sun is in its greatest strength Prov. 4. 18. Psal 37. 6. Rev. 1. 16. but after the Mid-day is past namely as soon as the Sun is declined but a little towards the West or towards the place of Sun-set then the day is said to grow weak so the Hebrew speaks Jud. 19. 19. for then the Sun hath lost much of its strength which it had at Mid-day and then the day may be said to be spent or to be bowed down or declined all these phrases are used and may be compared together see Judg. 19. 19. with Mar. 6. 35. Luk. 9. 19. and Luk. 24 29. Object 7. Perhaps this phrase At the season thou camest out of Egypt doth not mean the time of the day but the time of the yeer when they departed and according to that time of the yeer Moses doth command them to kill all their Passovers Answ This Objection argues great ignorance in the plain story For the time of the yeer when they came out of Egypt was on the fifteenth day of Nishan Num. 33. 3. But Moses did straitly command them to kill all their Passeovers on the fourteenth day of Nishan between the two Evenings and this fourteenth day was so strictly commanded that it might not be altered though it fell out upon a Sabbath day Therefore this phrase At the season thou camest out of Egypt must not be understood of the time of the yeer but of the time of the day onely which was in the strength
of the day that is to say at Mid-day in this season they are commanded to begin to kill their Passeovers in Canaan Exod. 12. 6. Lev. 23. 5. Num. 9. 3. Object 8. May not the sacrificing of the Passeover be changed from the A digression to open some difficult phrases about the passeover and they are the more difficult because they are borrowed from the Dialect of the Thalmud fourteenth day to the fifteenth day seeing Matth. saith thus On the first day of Unleavened-bread the Disciples came to Jesus saying Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passeover Matth. 26. 17. Now the first day of Vnleavened-bread was the fifteenth day of Nishan Answ This day which is called the First day of Unleavened bread cannot be rightly understood without the knowledge of the Jewish ancient Customes which are now for our information recorded in the Thalmuds and because this and many other phrases in the New Testament are recorded in the Thalmuds we may well say That the New Testament doth often Thalmudize because it useth many termes that are no where else to be found but in the ancient Hebrew Doctors and in the Thalmuds onely Now for Answer in a more special manner the Hebrew Doctors do comprehend under the general term of the Feast of Unleavened-bread and more especially under the first day of Unleavened-bread the Feast of the Paschal Lamb for though they are two distinct Feasts yet they are also so interwoven together that they may well be called the one for the other for though the Paschal Lamb was alwayes sacrificed on the 14. day between the two Evenings yet the time of feasting on that holy flesh was after Sun-set which was after the fifteenth day called the first of Unleavened-bread was begun according to the date of the person purified and yet the Feast of this Evening was no part of the Feast of Unleavened-bread for the sacrifices of that day were not yet killed but this Feast was the proper Feast of the Passeover belonging to the fourteenth day and with the Passeover also they might not eat any Leavened but Unleavened bread and in this respect Maymony doth call the Feast of the Paschal Lamb the Feast of Unleavened-bread and sometimes he calls the seven days of the proper Feast of Unleavened bread by the name of the Passeover interchangeably confounding the termes See Ains in Lev. 23. 7. and in this sense also Targum Jonathan calls the second day of Unleavened-bread the day that followed the first good day of Passeover See Ains in Lev. 23. 15. Hence you see that he cals the first day of Unleavened-bread The first good day of the Passeover and so interchangeably they call the proper feast of the Pascha the first day of Unleavened-bread and from this usual dialect among them the Evangelist Matthew saith That the Disciples came to Jesus Christ on the first day of Vnleavened bread saying Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to â—aâ— the Passover And thus the Evangelists speak according to the Jewish Customes sometimes they call the proper feast of the Pascha the first of Unleavened-bread as Matth. 26. 17. and Mark 14. 12. and sometimes they call the proper Feast of Unleavened-bread by the name of the Passeover as Luke doth chap. 22. 1. But yet secondly The Hebrew Doctors do sometimes distinguish the proper Feast of the Pascha from the first day of the proper Feast of Unleavened bread Charkumi calleth the Evening of the first good day and that Night the Passeover But saith he the residue of the Feast from the first Night and so forwards is called the Feast of Unleavened-cakes See Ains in Lev. 23. 6. and according to this distinction speaketh the Evangelist Mark Mar. 14. 1. after two dayes followed the Pascha and the Unleavened-bread and this distinction doth also agree with the twofold Command in Moses In the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passeover And in the fifteenth day which begins at Sun-set is the Feast Numb 28. 16 17. Object 9. Mr. Weams and others do affirm That the Jews ate not the Passover on the fourteenth of Nishan as Christ did but transferred it to the fifteenth day and to the beginning of the sixteenth day and he gives this reason for it because the next day after Christ had eaten his Passover is called the Preparation-day to the Jewish Passover Joh. 18. 28. Joh. 19. 14. Hence he infers that the Jews transferred the eating of the Passover till the next day after Christ had eaten his See Weams on the Ceremonial Laws Pag. 89. and the Annotat. of our old English Bibles in Mat. 26. Ans I beleeve that Mr. Weames and others have no better ground for this tenent but some frivolous Authors and therefore Mr. Godwin doth put a note of dislike upon such as follow such frivolous Authors and indeed it is a great impiety for us Christians to slander them with so grosse a transgression as this I beleeve that the Jews in their corruptest times before Christ were very strict in observing the letter of the Command and moâ—â— zealous also to punish such as did openly practise the contrary and it is most evident that they held so close to the letter of the Command that they would not transferre it to any other day though iâ— fell out to be on a Sabbath day it is a received Canon among them that the keeping of the Pascha on the fourteenth of Nishan doth put away the Sabbath as I have noted it formerly Secondly The Evangelist Mark doth testifie on the Jews behalf against all men that they kept the Pascha in the very self-same day that our Lord and his Disciples did for Mark doth expresse it thus In the first day of unleavened Bread when they Sacrificed the Passeover his Disciples said unto him Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou maist eat the Passeover Mark 14. 12. this term when they namely when the Iews in general sacrificed the Passeover then his Disciples said unto him Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou as wel as they maist eat the Passeover on the self-same day as the Iews in general did Thirdly Christ himself doth bear witnesse that the Iews in general did keep the Pascha in the very self-same day that hee did Yee know said Christ unto his Disciples that after two days the Pascha is kept Mat. 26. 2. he saith You know it that the Pascha is then kept it was a known custom among them that after two days the Pascha is kept namely generally of all the Iows Fourthly The Hebrew Doctors do protest that they punish him that passeth the fourteenth day for the killing of the Pascha Maymony saith it is an expresse Commandment to kill the Pascha in the month Nishan in the 14th day and saith he he that breaketh this Commandment and killeth it not in the 14th day being not defiled nor in a far journey is guilty
of being rooted out or cut off thus the Iews protest against our slander See Bro. in his Advertisement of corruptions in Religion p. 104. Fifthly This our grosse mistake of the Iews practise doth arise from our mistake of the meaning of the word Passeover in Iohn 18. 28. he saith thus The Iews went not into Pilate common Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passeover and in ch 19. 14. Iohn saith It was the preparation of the Passeover and about the sixth hour Hence some that are not wel acquainted with the Iews customs which are now recorded in their Thalmuds as the learned do observe have collected this inference that the Iews transferred the Passeover from the evening of the fourteenth day to the evening of the fifteenth day and also to the sixteenth day but indeed in this term Passeover Iohn doth Thalmudize and therfore without the help of the Hebrew Doctors it is not easie to spel Iohns meaning they apply the term Passeover not only to the proper Feast of the Pascha but as I noted in my answer to the former objection they use it as a general term for the whole Feast of unleavened Bread and in that respect they count all the days of it as if they were the days of the Passeover but more especially they did account the first day of unleavened Bread to be a Passeover day because they did then feast on the Peace-offerings belonging to the Passeover for they sacrificed with the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day certain Peace-offerings of Sheep or Oxen and these voluntary Peace-offerings they called the Passeover because they were sacrificed together with the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day and by the Law they might bee eaten for the space of two days and one night Levit. 7. 16. now the Iews had eaten the Paschal Lamb the night before but they had not as yet endedtheir feasting on these Peace-offerings which Iohn calls the Passeover the term Passeover in this last sense is not understood of many but Mr. Broughton and Mr. Ainsworth have given special notice of the word Passeover in this sense and that the Hebrew Doctors had grounded their common use of it on the Law in Deut. 16. 2. 4. and Mr. Broughton cites Solomon Jarchi speaking thus in Deut. 16. If many belong to one Passeover then they adde to it Chagiga Oxen for the Holy-day feast and saith Jarchy presently after the proper sense of the Scripture is that the flesh of the Chagigah-Passeover which thou dost sacrifice in the evening with the Lamb-Passeover shal be eaten in the fourteenth day and in the fifteenth day take notice by the way that he makes no mention of the sixteenth day as Mr. Weames doth most falsly Maymony also saith When they offered the Passeover in the first Month they offered it with the Peace-offerings of the fourteenth day Oxen or Flock-beasts great or small Male or Female but they offered not the Chagigah if the Lamb sufficed the company and so it was voluntary and not forced by any affirmative Commandment and it was eaten two days and one night and not in the second night as M. Weames doth mistakingly say In these words Maymony doth tell us that Iohn spake from the depth of Thalmudique knowledge and in this sense also doth Mr. Ainsworth explain the equivocation of the word Passeover from the Hebrew Doctors in Deut. 16. 2 4. and in Lev. 7. 16. John saith it was morning and they went not into Pâ—aetorion that they might not be defiled but might eat the Passeover not the Passeover strictly taken for that was eaten the night before but that they might eat their voluntary Peace-offerings which they had sacrificed with the Lamb-Passeover the day before and which by the Laws allowance they might feast on all the next day till Sun-set but no longer Lev. 7. 16. These Peace-offerings are called the Passeover by the Lawonce in Deut. 16. 2. and they are also clearly comprehended under the term Passeover in 2 Chron. 35. 11. but they are most usually called the Passeover in the Writings of the Hebrew Doctors and from their custom John doth use the word Passeover in their sense John saith it was morning and it was the preparation of the Passeover and about the sixth hour which sixth hour according to their account by their great hours began at our ten a Clock and ended with our twelve a Clock and this time was called the Jews preparation in order to their Passeover Dinner and in that respect they were afraid to come into Pilates Common Hall lest they should be defiled and so might be made unfit to eat the Passeovers Peace-offerings at Dinner time Object 10. You say that by the allowance of the Law the Jews might feast on the Peace-offerings that were offered with the Passeover for two days and one night namely till the next day at Sun-set but not after Sun-set but John speaks of another preparation to the Sabbath his words in chap. 19. 31. run thus The Jews then because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the Crosse for that Sabbath was a high day besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and that they might be taken down Ans This preparation is indeed a differing preparation from the former the former was their fore-noon preparation to their Passeover Dinner but this preparation was nigh unto Sun-set and so consequently it approached apace unto that festival Supper that did properly belong unto the Feast of unleavened Bread and in that respect they besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and that they might be taken down lest their cruelty in suffering them to hang longer on the Tree should be a blot to their joyful Feast for this day was the first of unleavened Bread which was the first and the chief of all their High Sabbaths Now as soon as the chief Priests had made this request to Pilate Joseph of Arimathea did wisely espy the advantage of time and then he also went boldly unto Pilate requesting that he might have the Body of Jesus in his own power to bury it The time when this was done was when the Evening was come as two Evangelists do witnesse Mat. 27. 17. Mar. 15. 42. and so Tindall in his Bible doth translate and expound Mark 15. 42. thus when night was come because it was the evening that goeth before the Sabbath This preparation therefore in Joh. 19. 31. must needs be in relation to their solemn Festival Supper which did properly belong to this High Sabbath as John doth call it Before Dinner the Jews were careful lest they should be defiled by going into Pilates Judgement Hall and so should have been hindred from their Festival Dinner and now also at Sun-set they take the like care to avoyd cruelty c. If this Sabbath spoken of had been the weekly Sabbath or seventh Day then though they had been defiled they might have resorted to their
they came to Pilate was at the Sun-set Evening for that was their next day or it was their morrow as I have opened 1 Sam. 30. 17. and Lev. 27. 15. All these considerations laid together make it evident that the time ere Christ was inclosed in the heart of the earth was when the Sabbath began to lighten with stars Object 13. How can you call their Festival Supper the proper Feast that doth most properly belong to the first day of Vnleavened-bread had they not a Festival Dinner belonging to this High Sabbath as well as a Festival Supper Ans I grant they had a Festival Dinner belonging to this day as well as a Festival Supper but my meaning is that their Festival Dinner was not intirely made of the sacrifices of this day as their Festival Supper was for part of their Festival Dinner at least was made of the Remainder of those Peace-offerings which were sacrificed in the former day with the Lamb-Passeover and so by that means their festival Dinner did partake of the Sacrifices of the fourteenth day but their Festival Supper was made intirely of the Sacrifices of the fifteenth day and yet this Sabbath-Feast was kept in the night after the date of the Ceremonial beginning of the sixteenth day in which none of the flesh of their Chagigah-Passeover might remain for that had been to keep the holy flesh within the third day which was plainly prohibited by the letter of the Law Hence it followes that all the flesh of their Chagigah-Passeover must be eaten at Dinner or else if any of it did remain untill the beginning of the sixteenth day it must be burnt Lev. 7. 17. and therefore it follows that this high Sabbath-Supper was intirely made of the Sacrifices of the fifteenth day and in that respect it was the most proper solemn Feast of this High Sabbath Object 14. It seems to me that Moses doth allow the flesh of the Chagigah-Passeover to remain unto the morning of the third day in Deu. 16. 4. and that is a longer time than you speak of from Lev. 7. 17. Boker the morning is put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day at Sun-set Ans Boker the morning in Deu. 16. 4. must not be taken in a proper sense either for the beginning of the natural day or of the morning of the Artificial day but in this place it must be taken figuratively for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day at Sun-set for as Boker the morning is properly put for the beginning of the Natural day or of the Artificial day so also it is figuratively put for the beginning of any other thing as in Chap. 3. I have given several instances and accordingly in this place it is figuratively put for the beginning of the Ceremonial day at Sun-set for Moses in Deut. 16. 4. might not give a contrary Law to what he had before given in Lev. 7. 17. There he doth expresly say that none of the flesh of the voluntary Peace-offerings shall remain untill the third day if any thing thereof remain untill the third day it shall be burnt Hence it follows by necessary consequence that Boker the morning in Deu. 16. 4. must be taken in a figurative sense for the beginning of their Ceremonial day at Sun-set and therefore none of the flesh of the Chagigah-Passeover Moses doth not speak of the Lamb-Passeover in Deut. 16. 2. but of the Cagigah-Passeover of Sheep and Oxen which were sacrificed in the fourteenth day with the Paschal Lamb none of this flesh might remain untill the beginning or untill the morning of the sixteenth day at Sun-set for then the flesh would have remained untill the third day after it was sacrificed and then might not be eaten but it must be burnt Secondly The Hebrew Doctors testifie that the flesh of their voluntary Peace-offerings must remain but one whole night after it was sacrificed and so consequently but one natural morning Maymony saith thus By word of mouth we have learned that this is a prohibition for leaving the flesh of the Cagigah of the fourteenth day unto the sixteenth day as it said unto the morning that is till the morning of the second day See Ains in Deu. 16. 4. their meanings that it should not be kept untill the beginning or untill the morning of the sixteenth day which begins at Sun-set in these words Moses doth truly though figuratively call the Sun-set Evening the morning in Deut. 16. 4. This is a mystery that belongs peculiarly to the Ceremonial Law which the inexpert cannot presently perceive the like mystery it is to call the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day the morrow as it is three times over called in Lev. 23. 11 15 16. and once more in 1 Sam. 30. 17. as it is explained in Chap. 4. and it is called their next day in Mat. 27. 62. And it is a further mystery also that the Jews Ceremonial day should begin six hours before the Natural day is ended As for example The fifteenth day of Nishan was the first day of Unleavened bread and a high Sabbath and by their Ceremonial custome it began before the Evening of the fourteenth day was ended for the Passeover of the fourteenth day was not feasted on till after Sun-set namely not till after the fifteenth day by their Ceremonial account was begun according to the date of the person purified These are Riddles to such as are not studious in the Jews customes They could not keep their Religious Festival Suppers in the same Ceremonial day for then they must have kept them the night before their Sacrifices were offered which was impossible therefore the night after their Festival Sabbaths was the proper night of the Sabbaths by Creation though not by Ceremony for the Ceremonial day in which the polluted person must be purified against their festival Sabbaths must needs begin the date of their new day before hand and yet they must also keep the Festival Supper appertaining to the Sabbath in the night after and so by this means the Ceremonial day was interwoven with the Natural day for the several respects already named and therefore this phrase It shall be eaten in the same day in which the Sacrifice was offered Lev. 7. 15. and Lev. 22. 30. must not nor cannot be understood of the same Ceremonial day but it may and must be understood of the same Natural day Object 15. What need had they to keep their Religious Feasts in the night after the Sabbath was not the whole day from Sun-set to Sun-set sufficient Ans It was not sufficient because they must feast upon their Evening sacrifices as well as upon their Morning sacrifices but they could not feast upon their Evening sacrifices untill after Sun-set because many times the Evening sacrifices were not finished till Sun-set 2 Chron. 35. 14. therefore they must of necessity have the night after as the appointed season for the solemnity of their Religious Suppers and therefore the Sun-set
Evening before was not the beginning of the Natural day it was but the beginning of the new day to the person purified he must of necessity begin his new day then or else he could not partake in the solemnities of their Sacrifices the day following but the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath was a natural part of the former day and the proper Feast of the Sabbath was then celebrated and the Prophet Isaiah hath reference to this Custome when he saith Ye shall have a Song as in the Night when a holy Solemnity is kept Isa 30. 29. for they kept their Religious Suppers till Mid-night and it is evident that all their Religious Feasts were kept with songs and with such like expressions of joy in the Messiah for his Redemption Es 23. 15. Deu. 16. 15. Judg. 21. 19 21. and in this respect all kind of sadnesse and mourning was forbidden at their solemn Feasts because it did prophane that joyful Ordinance Lev. 10. 19. Neh. 8. 10. Object 16. You seem to limit the time of their solemn Festival Supper but untill Mid-night but the prohibition in Lev. 7. 15. saith Ye shall not leave ought thereof untill the morning This implies a permission to continue their Religious Feasting not onely untill Mid-night as you would have it but untill day-break as the Hebrew Doctors expound it Ans I confesse the Hebrew Doctors do expound the word Morning in this Text to mean day-break but yet they do also often correct that Exposition for they say more than once that they feared it might be a transgression to continue the time of their solemne Suppers any longer than till Mid-night The Hebrew Doctors say That not onely the sacrifice of confession of Peace-offerings but of other kinds of sacrifices also might be eaten all the night long till break of day As for example The Nazarites Ram and the bread that came with it whether it were the portion of the Priests or the portion of the Owners These might be eaten all the night long til break of day and the same law they say was for the Sin-offerings and for the Trespas-offerings for the Peace-offerings of the Congregation and for the residue of the Meat-offerings All these say the Hebrew Doctors may be eaten all the night long till break of day But yet saith Maymony To keep men far from Transgression our wise men have said They are not to be eaten but untill MIDNIGHT See Ains in Lev. 7. 18. In like sort they say of the residue of the Burnt-offerings that they might lye burning upon the Altar all the night long untill the morning that is say they till break of day Lev. 6. 9. but yet they do also correct that Interpretation for they say Our wise men have said that the Priests might not let the fats or peeces of the Burnt-offering lye burning upon the Altar but untill Mid-night for fear of Transgression The Hebrew Doctors say also that they might continue feasting upon the flesh of the Paschal Lamb till morning Exod. 12. 10. that is say they till break of day but yet they say also that none of the company might eat again after he had slept though it were in the beginning of the night See Ains in Exod. 12. 10. Hence it is evident that they did allow none to make any more but one distinct meal of the Paschal Lamb and truly so small a creature needed not so long a time to feast on it but their voluntary Peace-offerings which they offered with the Paschal Lamb and in that respect did call them the Passeover they might feast upon that flesh till day-break for they had two dayes allowance to eat them by the Law Lev. 7 17 18. therefore seeing they might make but one meal of the Lamb-Passeover why should any man think of a longer time to feast on it than till the Mid-night Morning if it had been requisite to feast on it till day break our Saviour would have improved the full time but it is evident that he did finish all by Mid-night not onely the Supper of the Paschal Lamb but also the Peace-offerings which he adjoyned to the Paschal Lamb Joh. 13. 12. This 12. Ver. saith when he was set down again namely afer he had ended the Lamb-Passeover in Verse 2. then he arose from Supper and washed his Disciples feet Verse 3. then he sate down again to feast upon the Chagigah-Passeover Verse 12. At which Feast they used to drink two or three cups of Wine which our Saviour improved for the institution of his own Supper they had no common Supper this night as some unadvisedly speak but all the flesh they ate was holy flesh and all their Feasting was with Religious joy for their Redemption together with his long Exhortations Thanksgivings Prayers and Psames I apprehend it was much about the time of Mid-night or rather before when he had ended all And it doth further appear that the Hebrew Doctors did fear it might be a Transgression to continue at their Religious Feasting The Jews accounted the first half of the night to be a part of the former day in the case of their religious Feasting on their Passeovers on the Pascha till the morning at day-break because they do often limit the time of their Religious Feasting but untill Mid-night Maymony saith That the two Lambs which were presented as a Meat-offering together with the Two Loaves for the Peace-offerings of the Congregation on the day of Penticost were eaten by the Priests in the Same Day and in Half the Night as the flesh of the most Holy things were See Ains in Lev. 23. 20. By this Testimony it is evident that all their holy things were eaten in the same day and in half the night except their voluntary Peace-offerings for they had allowance from the Law to feast on that flesh two dayes and one night Lev. 7. 17 18. Deut. 16. 2. 10. Secondly Consider this well for though the Hebrew Doctors do sometimes say that the fats and the peeces of the Burnt-offering may lye burning upon the Altar all night till break of day yet they do also say that their Wise men did advise the Priests not to continue the burning upon the Altar any longer than till Mid-night and in Exod. 23. 8. the Lord saith The fat of my Feast shall not remain untill the morning therefore it must be wholly consumed with fire before day-break And indeed they might not continue the burning any longer than til Mid-night without manifest Transgression espâ—cially at festival times for at festival times saith Maymony The Priests must take away the ashes from the Altar at the beginning of the third part of the night But on Reconciliation-days they took away the ashes at Mid-night See Ains in Lev. 6. 10. By this Hebrew Canon it is evident that they could not continue the burning of the fats and peeces of the Evening sacrifices untill day-break without transgressing this necessary order in cleansing the Altar
by way of preparation to the morning sacrifices for they might not do any other work about the morning sacrifice till the ashes were taken from the Altar for that was the first work in order to the morning sacrifice and they could not do that work untill the burning of the fats and of the peeces of the Evening sacrifices were finished therefore they might not continue the burning any longer than till Mid-night at sometimes at least without Transgression especially in the night before the day of Reconciliation for then the Priests must take away the ashes from the Altar at Mid-night and by this it is evident that the ancient Hebrew Doctors held that the morning namely the root of it began at Mid-night because they did then give order to set things in a readinesse for the morning Sacrifice and after this work was done they had many other things to set in order before they could offer the morning Sacrifice and the usual time of killing the morning Sacrifice was before Sun-rising but on Expiation day it was killed at day-break See Ains in Num. 28. 4. and Lev. 16. 4. By these Records of the Hebrew Doctors we may see the true Reason why they feared it might be a Transgression to continue the burning any longer than till Mid-night and why they feared it might be a Transgression to continue their Festival Suppers any longer than till Mid-night it was because they held the root of the morning to begin at Mid-night And Maymony saith Gratefull is a Commandement that is done in the hour of the same See Ains in Lev. 6. 10. And hence my Answer is to this Objection it is the safest way to expound the word Morning in Lev. 7. 15. and in Lev. 22. 30. c. to signifie that the root or the first beginning of the morning is at Mid-night for fear of Transgression After this Treatise was ready for the Presse I met with a passage in Dr. * See his third part of his Harmony p 194. Leightfoot on Mark 1. 35. worth the inserting into this place Although saith he the Jews did precisely begin their day from Sun-setting yet did they also make the Mid-night a distinctive period to part between day and day so as to determine Rem Diei in Diem suum Talmud in Beracoth Per. 1. From what time do they say over their Phylacteries at Even From the time that thâ— Priests go in to eat their portion of the Sacrifices till the end of their first Watch But saith R. Eliezer The Wise men said untill Mâ—d-night Ibid. in Pesach in Per. 10. The Passeover after Mid-night defiles the hands Jona Per. 1. Maym. in Tamid in Per. 2. The cleansing of the Burnt-offering Altar on the day of Expiation began from Mid-night Talm. in Zeuach in Per. 5. Trespasse-offerings might be eaten till mid-night Ibid. Lesser holy Offerings may be eaten till Mid-night Ibid. The Passeover is not eaten but in the night and it is not eaten but till Mid-night The meaning of these Passages is That whereas these things were to be done to day and might not be put off till to morrow If they were done any time before Mid-night it was reputed current as done to day Their Phylacteries were to be said over every day at Even If they were said over before Mid-night it served the turn for the day before And the parts of the Offerings that were to be eaten in the same day that the Offering was offered and might not be kept till the morrow if they were eaten before Mid-night it did serve the turn for the day before The Altar of Burnt-offering was to be cleansed every day but on the day of Expiation it began to be cleansed from the Mid-night before and that was taken as done on the day of Expiation And so they observed to feast on the Passeover but untill Mid-night These things I have produced the rather because of this passage in Mark 1. 35. which calls it the Morning and yet it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much of the Night yet remaining for as they reckoned up till Mid-night for the day that was past So they reckoned the morning to begin at Mid-night to the day following Were I to discusse the Question about the beginning and ending of our Christian Sabbath I should think this matter worth consideration to that purpose And something parallel to this are those Texts in Exod. 12. 22. None of you shall go out of the door of his house untill the morning yet verse 29. at Mid-night the Lord smote the First-born c. verse 33. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might send them out Deut. 16. 1. and God brought thee forth of Egypt by Night Now this Morning in Mar. 1. 35. in which Christ rose so very early and went out to pray was on the morrow after the Sabbath the day on which the Christian Sabbath was fixed ere long which may not be unobserved since so special a matter is mentioned of that day Thus farre out of Doctor Leightfoot which doth illustrate and strengthen that which I have said in sundry places about the beginning of the morning at mid-night Secondly I come now to speak of the second Part of the Passeover Evening which was for the use of their Religious Feasting from Sun-set to mid-night After my long digression to answer several Objections about the Iews customs I come now to speak of the second part of the Passeover Evening appointed for the time of their religious Feasting on their Passeovers and that was from Sun-set to Mid-night and this space of time was all the latter evening And this is evident 1 By the appointment of Moses 2 By the practise of our Saviour 1 Moses appointed all Israel to eat the flesh of the Paschal Lamb In that Night Exod. 12. 8 42. namely in that part of the night that belonged to the fourteenth day by Creation 2 It is evident that Christ did not sit down to eat the Passeover with his twelve Apostles until the latter evening was come for Christ himself was in the fore-noon or in the beginning of the after-noon at Bethany when he sent two of his Disciples to Ierusalem to prepare the Passeover and to present it to the Priests to be killed for them all between the two evenings Mar. 14. 3. 12. 13. then after it was sacrificed he bad them carry it to such a house and make it ready against his coming and in thus doing he did according to the Iews custom for their custom was that if thirteen or twenty did joyn together for one Passeover they did send one or two of their company to present it to the Priest and so to make it ready for the rest See Ains in Numb 9. 12. then at Sun-set they all met together and began the feast at the hour appointed This custom our Saviour observed for he came not in person to Ierusalem til the latter evening was come Mat. 26 20.
Festival Supper which belonged to the last day of unleavened Bread which was the one and twentieth day of the Month did also bear the date of the two and twentieth day to the person purified and this latter evening was the allowed season for all their Holy Festival Suppers and often-times it was little enough for they must boyl and rost all the flesh of their Peace-offerings which were of the greater kind as sheep and Oxen for no Fowls were allowed for Peace-offerings See Ains in Lev. 3. 6. this did much increase the quantity of their Provisions and therefore it required the longer time both to Cook it and to feast on it and all these days of Feasting were commanded to be done with great solemnity especially the first and the last and with many relations of Gods goodnesse for their deliverance out of Aegypt and with Songs and Psalms of praise Deut. 16. 15. Exod. 23. 15. Deut. 27. 7. See Ains in Exod. 12. 8. and in this respect the latter evening was a competent time for these religious Solemnities and to continue the time of feasting longer was a transgression for it is expresly commanded in Lev. 7. 15. that the holy flesh must be eaten in the same day in which it was sacrificed But if the Sun-set evening had been the true beginning of the Natural day then this Holy flesh could not have been eaten the same day as I have noted the reason thereof formerly and then God by Moses had commanded us to do that which is not possible to be done therefore the Sun-set evening is a true part of the same Natural day wherein the flesh was sacrificed Maymony saith as I noted in objection sixteen that the Priests did eat the two Loaves which were presented to the Lord with the Meat-offering of the Congregation on the day of Penticost in the same day and in half the night as the flesh of the most holy things were See Ains in Levit. 23. 20. so then in the judgement of the ancient Hebrew Doctors for Maymony doth but record their judgement the latter evening till mid-night was a true part of the same Natural day in which the Sacrifices were offered though yet notwithstanding the purified person began the date of his new day at the Sun-set afore 5 Thus saith Maymony after he had related divers circumstances about the Passeover then is brought in a Table furnished with bitter Herbs unleavened Bread and the Body of the Paschal Lamb and the flesh Chagigah which is saith he for the fourteenth day of the Month he doth not say which is for the fifteenth day of the Month though otherwise he doth call this time the fifteenth day of the Month both are true in a right sense namely in the sense formerly given and in another place Maymony saith thus The evening of the fourteenth of Nâ—shan is not like the evening of other Festival days because in it are the Feast and the killing of Sacrifices See Ains in Lev. 23. 5. He makes the time of feasting to belong to the fourteenth day and secondly he preferres this evening to the evening of the Festival Sabbaths and therefore prescribes a greater punishment for servile work done on this evening than for working in the evening before the Festival Sabbaths for so is the comparison to be made as I have noted it elsewhere because in this evening was solemnized the proper Feast of the fourteenth day but the evening before was but in way of preparation to the Sabbath it self Thirdly Maymony saith thus They searched out Leaven in the beginning of the night of the fourteenth day Maymony calls the night before the Feast of the unleavened Bread the fourteenth night and yet in another place he calleth it the fifteenth day Thus have I proved not only by Scripture but also by the consent of the Hebrew Doctors that the Sun-set evening is a true part of the former day though it be also the beginning of a new day to the person purified by a Ceremonial institution CHAP. VI. Proving that the Day of Reconciliation was an extraordinary long Sabbath and an extraordinary long Fasting-day and therefore the beginning of this day ought not to be alleged as an exemplary Pattern neither for the beginning of any other Fasting-day nor yet for the beginning of the Lords Day THe Law saith thus in Lev. 23. 32. yee shall afflict your Souls in the ninth day of the Month in the evening from evening to evening you shal rest your Sabbath This Sabbath was singular from other Sabbaths in two regards 1 No other Sabbath was like it for the services of it 2 No other Sabbath was like it for the length of it 1 No other Sabbath was like it for the services of it For 1. All the Sacrifices of this day were commanded to be done by the High Priest only but on other Sabbaths they might be done by any other Priest as well as by the High Priest 2 There were more Burnt-offerings commanded to be offered for the publick on this Sabbath than on any other Sabbath 3 More Incense must be offered on this day than on any other day 4 There was more often sprinkling of blood on this day than on any other day 5 The High Priest did oftener wash on this day than on any other day 6 He used more sorts of Priestly garments on this day than on any other day 7 He did more often change his Garments on this day than on any other day 8 The High Priest did enter into the Holy of Holies on this day and on no day else all the yeer long and thus no day was like this Sabbath in the services of it 2 No day was like this day for the length of it neither in respect of the fast nor in respect of holy Rest of it For though it was commanded to bâ— observed in the tenth day of the seventh month Lev. 23. 27. yet it was also commanded to begin in the Evening of the ninth day Lev. 23. 32. This Evening of the ninth day hath a double interpretation 1 Some understand it of the sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day 2 Some understand it of the Evening at the end of the ninth day where the tenth day begins 1 In the first sense Maymony saith They began to afflict their souls in the Evening of the ninth day next before the tenth day and so they tarried in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day In these words you see that Maymony doth not hold this fast to begin with the tenth day at the Sun-set Evening according to the date of the new day of the person purified but in the evening of the ninth day next before the tenth day And Maymony saith moreover That they must abide in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day This early beginning and this late ending of this fasting-day doth increase the length of this day beyond the length of any other fasting-day or
of any other Sabbath day 2 This clause In the ninth day of the month in the Evening is thus read by the Greek Interpreters From the ninth of the month from the Evening and thus they vary the Preposition from In to From and their Translation agreeth fitly to the next clause from Even unto Even you shall Rest your Sabbath and by this reading we may see that the Seventy do make the latter Evening of the ninth day to be a true part of the ninth day though it were also the beginning of the tenth day according to the date of the person purified 3 Hence it is also evident that Moses did not hold the naturall beginning of the tenth day to begin at the Sun-set evening of the ninth day for then Moses words should have run thus From the tenth of the month from the Evening but Moses doth not say so but from the ninth of the month from the Evening either he must mean it to begin from the Sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day as Maymony expounds it or secondly from the latter Evening of the ninth day as a true part of the ninth day as the Seventy understand it or thirdly from the Ceremonial beginning of the ninth day which begins at the Sun-set Evening before the ninth day But then 4 If you will take this phrase from Even to Even to be from the Evening of the ninth day according to the date of the person purified then all the ninth day must be a fasting day as well as the tenth day for the Evening of the ninth day is the beginning of the ninth day according to the date of the person purified but if you desire to avoid this grosse absurdity then you must grant that the natural Evening of the ninth day did not begin but end the ninth day as the Seventy Interpreters do carry it 5 They that do place the natural Evening at the beginning of the ninth day and yet do allow the Sacrifice Evening to be placed at the end of the ninth day they do thereby place the natural morning of the ninth day between the two Evenings of the ninth day and so they do make the morning Sacrifice to be killed between the two Evenings but when men will not receive the truth in the love of it it is just with God to let them run into such absurd consequences as these 6 This fasting-day was longer than any other fasting-day for No fasting-day among the Jews was so long as the Fast on the day of Attonement was all other publick fasting dayes were left to the Elders of the Sanhedrim to be appointed whensoever they were in any distress which were proclamed to be observed in all the Synagogues of the Land as well as at the Temple But they did not injoyn them to begin those fasting dayes in the Evening before with such a strict abstinence as they did the day of Reconciliation for the Hebrew Doctors say That it was lawfull for them to eat in the night when the feast was on the morrow See Ains in Nu. 9. 10. By this testimony of Maymony it is evident that they began all their other solemn fasting-dayes in the morning and not in the evening before except the day of Reconciliation only therfore no other publick fasting-day was of such a length as this yeerly fasting-day was 7 Neither was any other Sabbath of such a length for strict Rest as this fasting-fasting-Sabbath was for they must begin the strict Rest of this day either in the Sacrifice Evening of the ninth day or at the beginning of the latter Evening of the ninth But they did not begin the strict Rest neither of their festival Sabbaths nor of the Sabbath or seventh day in the Evening before as they did this yeerly fasting-fasting-Sabbath For Maymony saith Such works as may be done on the Evening of a feast-Feast-day they do not upon a Feast-day c. See Ain in 23. 7. By this testimony it is evident that they did not hold the Evening before their festival-Sabbaths to be as holy as the day it self 2 Maymony saith It is unlawful to do works in the Evening of the festival Sabbaths from the time of the Evening Sacrifice and forwards Even as on the Evenings of the Sabbaths and who so doth work in them shall never see a sign of a Bessing and he is to be rebuked and to be made to leave off by force though he is not for it to be scourged or excommunicated except in the Evening of the Passeover after Mid-day whoso doth work therein after Mid-day is to be scourged or excommunicated with the Niddui for the Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan is not like the Evening of other festival dayes because in it are the Feast and the killing of Sacrifices See Ains in Lev. 23. 5. Two things are observable from this Record of Maymony 1 That the Jews did make some kind of preparation both to their festival-Sabbaths and to their Sabbath or seventh day from the time of the Evening Sacrifice and forwards 2 Hence it is evident that the Hebrew Doctors did not esteem any part of the Evening before their Sabbaths to be as holy as the day following because they did neither scourge nor excommunicate any man for working in the Evening before their Sabbaths as they did for working in the Passeover Evening and the reason is plain because they esteemed both the parts of the Passeover-Evening to be the very day of the Passeover it self but it seems they did not esteem the Evening before the Sabbath to be any true part of the Sabbath it self for doubtlesse if they had esteemed it as a true part of the Sabbath it self they would not onely have scourged and excommunicated such persons that did presume to work in the Evening before the Sabbath but also they would have stoned them to death if they had presumptuously broken the rest of the holy Sabbath Numb 15. 35. And as Maymony makes the Evening of the Passeover not like the Evening that went before their festival Sabbaths nor like the Evening that went before their weekly Sabbath So I may say of the Evening that went before the day of Attonement that it was more strict for holy rest than the Evening that went before any of the other Sabbaths From all the Premises I conclude that no day in all the yeer was commanded to be of such a length for strict Rest as this day was for the strict Rest of this day and the strict Fast of this day began in the Sacrifice Evening or else at the beginning of the latter Evening of the ninth day and it continued not onely till a little after the Sun-set Evening of the tenth day as Maymony saith But also it continued longer for some of the holy duties of the tenth day could not be finished till Mid-night after for 1 The Priests must eat their part of the publick Sin-offering Num. 29. 11. which must be eaten in the same day in
doubtlesse Lukes phrase doth allude to that custom This Sabbath that did now begin to lighten was not the Sabbath it self for if the Sabbath it self had been begun at the rising of the Evening Starre then doubtlesse the holy Women had broken the holy rest of the Sabbath day because after all this they went to the shops and bought Odors and Oyntments Luke 23. 56. compared with Mark 16. 1. yea and after they had bought these Odors and Oyntments they went home and prepared them in a readinesse to perfume the Body of Christ with them as soon as ever the Sabbath was past Mat. 28. 1. If they had bought them before his burial they would have perfumed his Body before his burial as Nicodemus did Therefore seeing these holy Women did all this work after the burial and after the Sabbath began to lighten it is an evident proof that the Sabbath it self did not begin neither at the Sun-set evening when the person purified began the date of his new day nor yet at the rising of the evening starre for if the Sabbath it self had been begun at either of these times then the holy Women had most grosly broken the holy rest of the Sabbath But the Holy Text doth witnesse on their side that they rested the Sabbath according to the Commandment Luk. 23. 56. Hence I conclude from this practise of the holy Women that though the evening before the Sabbath doth bear the date of the day following to the person purified yet in proper speaking it is no part of the Sabbath it self it is only to be esteemed the Sabbath but by way of preparation and no more Secondly I answer That your exposition of the word before may better carry this sense namely that this latter evening was indeed before the Sabbath it self and I have shewed in chap. 5. that the evening of the Sabbath is put by the Hebrew Doctors sometimes for the evening before the Sabbath and sometimes for the last half of the Sabbath it self but see more in this Chapter in the answer to the next objection Object 2. It seems to me that the Sabbath it self did begin and end at the Sun-set Evening by the Jews practise for they held it unlawful before the Sun-set Evening was come for our Saviour to heal diseased persons But after the Sun-set Evening was come all manner of diseased persons came flocking to him for cure Mar. 1. 32. Hence it appears that the Jews held the Sabbath to be fully ended as soon as the Sun-set Evening was come Ans It is but the bare conjecture that they forbore to bring their sick persons till the Sabbath was ended I deny it to be the very reason I beleeve the onely reason why they came no sooner was because they had no sooner intelligence of his miraculous power to heal you do barely affirm that the Jews in general held it unlawful for our Saviour to heal diseased persons upon the Sabbath day but you are deceived Tremelius doth testifie from the ancient Hebrew Doctors that they held the contrary They held that the perill of life did drive away the Sabbath that is to say they held it lawful to use any means to prevent the danger of death upon the Sabbath day See Tremelius his Annot. in Mat. 12. 8. in the Syriack Testament Mr. Ainsworth also doth affirm from the Hebrew Doctors that they held it to be a Sabbath days work to visit the sick for they held that perill of life did drive away the Sabbath See Ains in Exod. 20. 10. See also my former Treatise 2 I do also apprehend by the circumstances of the story that the Jews of Capernaum were not offended with our Saviour for his miraculous cure which he did upon that Sabbath day as the malignant Scribes and Pharisees sometimes were in healing one in the Synagogue that had an unclean spirit Mark 1. 27. 3 They took no offence at him for the curing of Peters wives mother of her Feavor presently after he had left the said Synagogue v 31. Therefore seeing they found no fault with Christ for neither of these miraculous cures before the Sabbath was ended doubtless they did not forbear to bring their diseased persons in respect of the Sabbath for they admired the power of God in these miracles and therefore as soon as the publick exercise was ended they spread his fame verse 28. and thereupon a multitude of the diseased persons of Capernaum came to him for cure with all the possible speed they could as it appears by their earnest pressing after so short a warning for I conceive by the circumstances of the story that it was but a little afore Sun-set when Christ left the Synagogue and then as soon as he had left the Synagogue he healed Peters wives mother which was another procuring cause that made the greater flocking to him but if his miraculous cures had been done sooner doubtlesse the fame thereof would have made the sick persons to have flocked sooner after him I grant that some of the malignant Scribes and Pharisees did sometimes take offence at Christ for his miraculous healing upon the Sabbath day But the people in general rejoyced at all the excellent things that were done by him upon the Sabbath day Luke 13. 17. for Christ did now heal a poor crooked woman upon that Sabbath day verse 11. And when the Ruler of the Synagogue took offence at it Christ by reasons put him to silence and the people rejoyced that Christ had put him to silence Therefore though some of the malignant Jews held erroniously that Christ ought not to heal upon the Sabbath day yet that is no good argument to prove that these Jews of Capernaum did purposely detain their sick persons till the Sabbath was ended I deny it to be the Reason I do apprehend rather that they did hastily flock to him rather than deliberately forbear till the Sabbath might be ended 4 Mr. Pemble on this place saith That this Evening was the Evening of the same day wherein Christ had done so much before as the inference shews plainly 5 It is evident to me from several testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors that they held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self because they held it lawful to The Hebrew Doctors held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self do many things in the Sun-set Evening before the Sabbath which they did not hold lawfull to be done in the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath 1 Maymony saith thus The two Loaves of New Corn for the Wave-offering on the day of Penticost were not Baked on the day of Pentecost because it was a Sabbath nor in the Evening before if it were a Sabbath See Ains in Lev. 23. 17. Two things are evident from this Testimony 1 That in the judgement of the Hebrew Doctors the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath was a true part of the