verses must be expounded with relation to the story of Adams Fall Re-creation and Reconciliation by the Promised-Seed And therefore it follows by necessary consequence that Adams Re-creation by the Seed of the woman must be considered as the finishing act of the six dayes creation before the seventh day was ordained to be a Sabbath And by this Rule of Exposition many words also in the said three verses must be so expounded as having a holy equivocation in them namely as having a mysticall sense as well as a literall As for example under this word Made and Created must be understood the mystical and spiritual Creation as well as the literal and visible Creation And under the word Finished must be understood not only the finishing of the visible Creation but of the mysticall and spirituall Creation also which must be finished I mean some of that kind by the Seed of the woman before the Host of Heaven can be said to be finished for the Host of the third heavens must be finished as well as the Host of the visible heavens before the end of the sixth day The like mystical interpretation I shall give of the word Rested Blessed c. when I come at them In brief I apprehend that there are ten severall words in the said three verses that must be expounded in a mystical sense as well as in a literal 1 The word Heavens 2 The word Earth 3 The word Finished 4 The word Host 5 The word Made 6 The word Rested 7 The word Blessed 8 The word Sanctified 9 The word Sabbath 10 The word Seventh But my work in this Chapter is only to prove that Adam and Reason 1 Eve were Re-created before the seventh day that is to say in the Dâ—awn from Gen. 2. 1. If all the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day then it must needs follow that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day latter part of the sixth day and this I will endeavour to prove by a necessary consequence drawn from the first verse which runs thus And the heavens and the earth were finished and all the Host of them Hence I reason thus If all the several sorts and kinds of creatures which appertained to the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day then Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day for Gods Host was not finished untill some of that sort of creatures were finished which did appertain to the Host of the Church Militant here upon earth and to the Host of the Church Triumphant in heaven But all the severall sorts and kinds of creatures which appertained to the Host of heaven and earth were finished before the seventh day as the text doth plainly speak Therfore Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day and did appertain to the Host of the Church Militant here on earth and to the Host of the Church Triumphant in heaven before the seventh day or else God did not finish all the Host of heaven and earth before the seventh day which is to deny and contradict the words of the Holy Ghost It is out of question therfore that the souls of Adam Eve were Re-created and made perfect by the Redemption of the Promised Seed before the seventh day for that sort of creature doth appertain to the heavenly Host as well as the Angels and to Gods spiritual Host and Church here upon earth and in that respect the godly converts are called by the Figure Continent for the for the thing contained The new Heavens and the new Earth in which dwelieth Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. And it is further evident that such redeemed persons are a true part of Gods Host here upon earth because the Scripture calls the Church of Israel when it was redeemed out of Egypt the Lords Host Exod. 12. 41. Exod. 38. 8. Num. 1. 3. And wicked Antiochus is said to tread down Gods Host or Army underfoot when he persecuted the Church Dan. 8. 14. yea all and every part of Gods Militant Church here upon earth is called Gods Host or Army Psal 110. 3. Adam and Eve therefore must not onely fall into the spiritual death of sin in the day of their creation but they must also be Re-created the same day as a principal sort of those creatures which God did create and provide both for his earthly and also for his heavenly Host for the Text saith That the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the Host of them which must be understood of every several sort of Host not numerically of the whole number but specifically of the severall kinds of each Host for no new thing of a new kind was created after the sixth day Therefore seeing God did finish all the Host of heaven and earth before the seventh day he must needs Re-create Adam and Eve before the seventh day that so they might be a part of his Militant Church Host or Army here upon earth to maintain an utter enmity against Sathan and his seed Gen. 3. 15. and so from the first sixth day and forwards God will have a Militant Church to continue here upon earth to fight the warfare of Christ against Sathan and his seed to the end of the world Reason 2. It is further evident that Adam was Re-created by the Promised Seed in the day of his creation by another Inference Reason 2 taken from the word Had finished as it is joyned to the If God had made something in the former part of the sixth day that needed a new act of finishing before the seventh day then what else can that finishing act be but Adams Recreation by the Promised Seed word Had made vers 2. From the frame of these words as they are laid down in the Pretertense it is evident that before the seventh day namely in the latter part of the sixth day God had finished some of that work which he had made but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day Hence I reason thus God had made some of his works so mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day that there needed a new act of finishing or perfecting the same before the seventh day and what else can that finishing act be but Adams Re-creation by the Promised Seed and the putting of all the re rest of the Creation at the very instant of Adams fall under the Dominion and Lordship of the Promised Seed And this must needs be so because God had made appointed or fore-ordained Christ to be the right Heir of all his Creation and to uphold all things by the word of his powerfull providence Heb. 1. 2 3. and in that respect Adam must fall and be Re-created on the day of his creation that so the right Heir Christ Jesus might come into actual possession of all the Creation by means whereof the Heavens and the Earth and all their Host was finished before the seventh day and
in this respect Christ iâ— eminently stiled Jehovah Sabbaoth that is to say The Lord of all Hosts Ps 24. 10. because they were made for his service that he as their proper Lord might rule them and govern them all for it is said That by him all things consist Col. 1. 17. and in this respect also he is See also ch 4 ch 6 at Sixthly called The Lord of all the whole world and of all things therein Jos 3. 11. Act. 10. 36. Phi. 2. 11. Ps 24. 1. Neh. 9. 6. To him also doth appertain the Dominion of the Heavens and of the heaven of heavens the earth and all that is in them Deut. 10. 14 15. And because all Government is his therefore it is from him that Kings do reign and rule Prov. 8. 15 16. It follows therefore that God ordained Christ to be the right Heir and sole Governour of all the Hosts both of heaven and earth on the sixth day and before God could be said to rest on the seventh day 1 God made Adam in the former part of the sixth day after his own Image as the glory of all his Creation and gave him Dominion over all his visible creatures Gen. 1. 26. 28. But it pleased God in his divine Wisdome to make Adam but mutably happy that so he might fall by the sleight of Sathan and lose his pure qualities wherein he was created after Gods Image and that he might thereby also lose his Dominion over all the visible Creation that so Christ the right Heir might have the possession of all for as soon as Adam fell by his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit both Adam and all the Creation did presently fall into confusion and disorder And thereupon Sathan might well triumph and boast as he did in the dayes of Job that he had walked to and fro in the earth as the Lord and Conqueror of it because he had not onely brought Adam and Eve into Captivity under the spiritual death of sin and the whole Creation into confusion and disorder but also because he had robbed the holy Trinity of all the glory of their glorious Creation 2 God was pleased in his infinite Wisdome and Providence to let all this come to passe that so the holy Trinity might take occasion thereby to declare unto fallen Man how wonderful they were in Counsel and how excellent in working in that they could tell how to make Man mutably perfect and how to let Man fall by the sleight of Satan and how to break the Devils Head-plot by the promised Seed and how to reconcile and recreate Man and how to make fallen Man know and honour his Creators more than otherwise he could ever have done if hee had stood still in his first integrity of Nature for if Adam had still continued in his Created perfections he could not have honoured the Mediator so as he did after his Fall seeing hee needed not a Mediator in that condition neither could he have so much honoured Gods Mercy in the Mediator as he did after his Fall and Re-creation 3 By this time I think any man may easily see the reason why all the three Persons in the God-head had a hand in the Creation of the World and more eminently in the Creation of Man Gen. 1. 26. surely the chief reason was That God might make Adam in his Innocency could not so wel honour all his Creators as after his Fall and Re-creation Adam by his Fall and Recreation the better able to know and honour all the three Persons in the God-head as his Creators for Adam could not honour all his Creators so well in his Innocency as after his Fall and Re-creation and in this respect all the three Persons in the God-head are called our Creators Eccles 12. 1. Psal 149. 2. and our Makers Job 35. 10. Es 54. 5. and truly such Creators could not rest on the Seventh Day from all the Works which they had Created and made until they had made man to know them to be their Creators by a Re-creation which Adam could not do as long as he stood in his Innocency but as soon as his Creation was finished and made perfect by a Re-creation then faln man both knew and honoured all his Creators and the Mediator in special to be the Mediator of his Re-creation of his Reconciliation and eternal Redemption and then God rested on the Seventh Day because he had finished his Creation by the promised Seed 4 After Adams fall it pleased God so to question with Adam about his miserable condition by his Fall that he made him sensible of his misery and then it pleased God to make his Mercy known to him in the Mediator It was a terror to the Devil to hear that the Seed of the Woman should break his head Gen. 3. 15. but because it was a great comfort to faln Adam for God declared the Mediator both in his Person and Office to faln Adam and by Gods description Adam could not chuse but know that his Person must needs be both God and Man he could not chuse but know that he that must break the Devils Head-plot must needs be God and that he that must be born of the Seed of the Woman must needs be Man and then for his Office hee could not chuse but know that it must be a Mediatorial office of reconciliation or else such a miserable sinner as he could never be restored again into Gods favour In all these respects faln Adam could not chuse but know and honour the Father for his great Mercy in propounding such a Mediator and he could not chuse but know and honour the Mediator of his Redemption more than if he had stood still in his innocency and he could not chuse but know and honour the Holy Ghost because his heart and minde was recreated and made new by the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost for the sake of the Mediator 1 Pet. 1 2. Fallen Adam of himself had no skill nor will to finde out a Mediator till the Holy Ghost did inable him to beleeve that the Seed of the Woman should one day give his Soul as a Mediatorial Sacrifice of attonement even then when the Devil should peirce him in the foot-soals for the procuring of his Fathers reconciliation by which he should bee eternally redeemed from the Curse due to his disobedience and from the guilt of his sin and so be received into Gods favour as his adopted son O the infinite Wisdom of God that could tell how to augment mans happinesse and his own praise by Adams sinful disobedience if Adam had continued still in his innocency he should have been continued only in his Natural perfections and have been a Lord above all the rest of the visible Creation but in that condition he could not have so much honoured all his Creators as he did after his recreation neither should he have attained to that degree of happiness as after his Fall
Prophet Jeremy A new created thing in the Earth A Virgin shall compasse a man Jer. 31. 22. This whole Chapter is a Prophesie of the dayes of the Messiah as any considerate Reader may easily discern I put in the term Virgin instead of our translated term Woman and yet I find no fault with the term Woman provided the interpretation be of a Virgin-Woman but if the term Woman be taken for one that hath a Husband in that sense I dislike the term for it is no new created thing for a woman that hath a husband to compasse a man-child in her womb 2 I dissent from them that think the word Compasse doth mean the crafty fetches of an immodest woman seeking as an agent to circumvent some man or other into the bond of mariage This Interpretation cannot stand because this is no new created thing 3 I dissent from them that make this Woman to be the generality of the Jews that shall conquer the great Empire of the Turks for this new device doth not make this new created thing But to me it is most evident that this new created thing is nothing else but the humane nature of Christ encompassed in the womb of a Virgin First of the Virgin Eve And secondly of the Virgin Mary And at this new created thing no doubt but Adam and Eve did as much wonder as the Angels did at the hanging of the earth upon nothing Job 38. 7. yea this new created thing may justly ravish both Men and Angels with wonderment as it doth 1 Tim. 3. 16 1 Pet. 1. 12. Exod. 25. 20. By this Vision the Prophet Jeremy did call backsliding Israel to consider this new created thing saying by way of wonderment at their unbeleef How long wilt thou go about O thou backsliding daughter for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth A Virgin-woman shall compasse a man Hence it is evident that if this backsliding Daughter had but duly considered this new created thing it would have wrought true conversion in them as well as it did in Adam and Eve But who hath beleeved our report saith the Prophet in the like case Es 53. 1. Isaiah would have cured wicked Ahaz his unbeleef with this sign Es 7. 14. but this new created thing did not work admiration in his affections as it did in Adam and Eve and therefore it did him no good After Jeremy had propounded this new created thing for the conversion of back-sliding Israel he said I awaked and behold my sleep was sweet unto me Jer. 31. 26. it wrought sweet affections of joy in the consideration of it But if Jeremy had conceived as some Interpreters do that this woman had been a subtill immodest woman then I marvell how he could have had any sweet content in that consideration when he awoke By this woman therefore I do not only understand the Virgin Mary that did actually compasse the Humane nature of Christ in her womb but I do also understand the Virgin Eve that did virtually compasse him in her womb by faith for God did exhibit the Messiah to her in a gracious Proposition in the cool of the sixth day while she was a Virgin And it is remarkable that the Prophet Jeremy doth speak of this new created thing both in the time past and also in the time to come Behold saith he the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth and in the next clause he speaks of it as of a thing to come A Virgin shall compasse a man or a man-child for a man-child is called A man Job 3. 2. Joh. 16. 21. So then this phrase God had finished his work which he had made before the seventh day includes all this that I have spoken of the Humane nature of Christ as I have also noted it in Chap. 3. R. 2. Also the extent of this term created and made is very large for it is often applied to things that are new marvellous and glorious Es 65. 18. Ex. 34. 10. Num. 16. 30. also it is applied to Gods powerfull acts Deut. 3. 24. and to things that are done in a miraculous manner above nature Joh. 2. 9. In all which regards the humane nature of Christ as it was compassed in the womb of a Virgin that never knew man may well be called a glorious powerful and miraculous new created thing in the earth to the sound conversion of a true considerate heart 2 This new created thing the Prophet Agur doth make to be the greatest wonder of all the four which he doth name and compare together in Prov. 30. 18 19. Three things saith he are too wonderful for me yea four that I know not 1 The way of an Eagle in the air 2 The way of a Serpent from a Rock 3 The way of a ship in the midst of the Sea And 4 The way of a man in a Virgin The Hebrew word which is translated Woman in this place doth properly signifie such a woman as never knew man by carnal generation This Hebrew word is never used for a polluted Adultresse as some would have it to mean in this place 2 Neither is this Hebrew word used for a maried woman but alwayes for a Virgin that never knew man Examine the several places where this Hebrew word is used and that will confirm the truth of my observation It is used but six times only in Scripture Gen. 24. 43. Ps 68. 25. Cant. 1. 2. Cant. 6. 7. Es 7. 14. Prov. 30. 19. in the first five places no question is made by any to the contrary all the question is about this last place in Prov. 30. 19. and yet if the scope of the Prophet Agur in this Chapter be well marked there is no more question of this place than of the rest for in this Chapter the Prophet Agur doth speak of Christ in our nature and calls him Ithiel and Vcall vers 1. Mr. Broughton in Ecclesiastes pag. 11. saith that Agur speaks of Gods dwelling in Christ named Ithiel and Vcall which signifies God with me even the mighty so that we see the Prophet Agur doth call the Mediator Ithiel and Vcall in the very same sense that Esay calls him Immanuel the notation is much alike in both places Therefore seeing the Prophet Agur doth speak of Christ in our nature in the fore-front of this Prophesie what lets but that he may speak also of his wonderful strange conception in the womb of a Virgin the wonderfulnesse whereof he doth illustrate by way of comparison to three other things that are beyond the power of humane reason to find out For first who can find out the path-way where a ship hath gone in the middest of the Sea Or secondly the path-way where an Eagle hath flown in the midst of the air Or thirdly the path-way of a Serpent from the Rock Put fourthly who can find out how a Man-child can be conceived in the womb of a Virgin that never knew man the Prophet Agur
makes this fourth thing a greater wonder than the other three And this last the Prophet Jeremy calls a new created thing in the earth and seeing all sorts of creatures were created in six dayes it follows that this new created thing of the humane nature of Christ in the womb of a Virgin was created and exhibited to fallen Adam and Eve in a gracious Propetical Declaration on the sixth day before that God could keep a perfect rest on the seventh day CHAP. VI. Proving that the whole world was made for the Honour of the Mediator as the right Heir of all 1 Hence it follows That God could not keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day untill he had put the Mediator as the right Heir of all into his possession 2 Hence follows That Adam must fall and be Re-created on the day of his Creation This is proved by an induction of some particulars 1 THe Angels were made to serve the Mediator even as he was ordained to be the seed of the woman Psal 91. 11 12. Heb. 1. 6. and therefore they did sing for joy not onely at the birth of Christ when he was born of the Virgin Mary Luke 2. 14. But doubtlesse they did as much rejoyce to hear that joyfull news to fallen Adam and Eve that he should be the seed of the woman to break the Devills Head-plot and ever since that day they desire to pry into that joyfull and glorious mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 12. 2 The woman was in a special manner made for the Honour of the Mediator as well as for Admas Society and Posterity for without the womans seed Christ could not have been promised to be the seed of the woman that was fallen and that her seed should break the Devils Head-plot Gen. 3. 15. 3 The Sabbath was made for the Honor of the Mediator for he was Lord of the Sabbath even as he was the Son of Man Mar. 2. 28 4 The distinction of the natural day into Morning and Evening was so contrived by Gods providence for the Honour of the Mediator for the glad tydings of his Propitiatory Sacrifice was constantly remembred and typified by the Morning and Evening Sacrifices for that division of the day into morning and evening is a differing division from day night as I have shewed at large in my book of Holy Time and therefore according to the usual time of the Evening Sacrifice Christ performed his Propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement about the midst of the first Evening for the first natural Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun and continues till Sun-set where the night begins and in the midst of this evening namely about three a clock in the afternoon Christ made his soul an Evening Sacrifice of mans Redemption 5 The several sorts of Beasts and Fowls were made for the Honour of the Mediator and though some of them were by Gods Providence to be of a ravenous kind namely as soon as Adam fell yet they could not destroy fallen man from the face of the earth neither could they wholly destroy their fellow-creatures that were of a tame kind because the Lord God had ordained a Mediator to be the right Heir of them all and to rule them all by restraining their corrupt desires and guiding them as soon as Adam fell so that the hungry Lions could not devour Daniel without his license and as for the rest of the creatures which were ordained to be of a more quiet and harmless kind God called them clean Beasts and some of them he ordained for the use of Sacrifices as the fittest to typifie the innocency of Christs humane nature and the perfection of his Sacrifice 6 All sorts of creatures were made for the Honor of the Mediator and therefore as soon as Adam fell God put all things in subjection under his feet And there was nothing that was not made subject unto him Heb. 2. 8. Psal 8. 6. Col. 1. 16. Eph. 1. 22. Yea God made him the head over the spirits of just men made perfect by the Fathers forgivenesse that is to say by the Fathers justification Heb. 12. 23. and that Dominion is called the first oâ— the chiefest Dominion Mic. 4. 8. and this Dominion God gave him in the day of Adams Fall and Re-creation Yea all creatures in general do yeeld obedience unto the Mediator as their proper Lord and Governour Rev. 5. 13. as I have noted more at large in Chap. 3. R. 2. and in Chap. 4. Yea when the Mediator was here upon earth in his humane nature all creatures obeyed him as their Lord for he rebuked the boy sterous winds and the raging sea and they obeyed him He commanded the liquid waters to bear him as the dry land and they obeyed him He commanded a hundred fifty three great fishes to come into Peters Net and not to break it and they obeyed him Joh. 21. He commanded that fish that had swallowed a Stater to come to Peters Angle to pay his tribute and that obeyed him He commanded the Asse-colt whereon never man sate to carry him with all gentlenesse to Jerusalem as if it had been tamed by former riding and it obeyed him He commanded diseases of all sorts to depart from the sick and they obeyed him Yea he commanded the Devils to come out of certain men and women and they obeyed him Yea at the time of Noahs flood He commanded all sorts of creatures as well the wild ravenous kind as the tame kind to come of their own accord into Noahs Ark and to live quietly together and they obeyed him Gen. 7. 8 9. But the wicked world because they despised the Spirit of Christ in Noah therefore Christ commanded a deluge of water to seize upon their bodies and their souls he sent to the prison of Hell 1 Pet. 3. 19. 7 God gave the Mediator an absolute Dominion over all Tyrants so that they cannot do as much mischief to his people as they desire For Christ ruleth even in the midst of his enemies Psal 110. 2 5 6 7. Psal 2 9. 10 11 12. Prov. 8. 15 16. And therefore the Father hath committed all judgement to his Son because all men should honor the Son as they honor the Father Joh. 5. 22 23. And hath given him Authority to execute judgement because he is the Son of Man Joh. 5. 27. And if he had not been declared to be the Son of Man just upon Adams Fall the Devill would have made a hellish confusion of the Creation at that instant but he was prevented by the right Heir that stood ready to take the Government of all upon him as soon as ever Adam fell From these and the like considerations it is evident that God created the world for the Honor of the Mediator and that he might rule it as the right Heir of it And the Hebrew Doctors have a common saying agreeing with this That the world had not been created but for the
Messiah And therefore hence it follows That God could not keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day untill he had put all things in subjection under the feet of Christ as the proper Lord and right Heir of all the Creation and therefore Adam must fall and also be Re-created before the seventh day Conclusion God did perfect the whole Creation on the sixth day by ordering all things according to the Plat-form of his eternal Counsel and Providence 1 By ordering the Devils Fall 2 By ordering Adams Fall 3 By ordaining a Mediator and instating of him into his Priestly Office 4 By creating a humane nature for the Mediator of the seed of Eve 5 By his Office of Mediation he purchased the Spirit of his Father for the Re-creating of faln Adam and Eve 6 By this means they were made a part of Gods heavenly Host 7 By this means they were made the chiefest part of Gods Host here on earth 8 When all this was done then Christ was Heir of all things 9 When all this was done then Sathans Head-plot was broken 10 When all this was done then and not till then God could keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day from all his works because by this means he had finished that work that at first he had made but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day And therefore it follows by good consequence That the Sabbath was not ordained in the time of Adams Innocency But after his Fall and Re-creation by the Promised Seed CHAP. VII Proving that Gods rest on the Seventh Day was suâ—h a perfect rest that nothing could happen afterwards that could any whit lessen or disturb the perfection of his rest on the Seventh Day as it would have hapned if God had kept a Sabbath of rest whiles Adam stood in a mutable condition THe Text saith in the latter clause of Gen. 2. 2. That God rested the Seventh day from all his Works which he had made But God could not be said to keep a perfect rest from all his Works which he had made as long as Adam stood in a mutable condition for God knew from Eternity that Adam and Eve would presently fall from their Created perfections through the temptation of Satan and that thereupon the whole Creation would fall into utter confusion and that then God must either suffer Satan to take the Dominion of the whole Creation or else that he must begin again to make it more perfect than it was before by a new Creation Seeing therefore that one of these two things must necessarily follow upon Adams fall God could not keep a perfect rest on the Seventh Day from all his Works untill he had installed the Mediator into his Office and setled the whole government of all things upon his shoulders as upon our mighty God and Prince of peace Es 9. 6 7. If God had rested on the Seventh Day before he had setled the whole Creation upon the Mediator then the Devil might have rejoyced more upon the first seventh day than God 1 Because the Devil had made frustrate the glory of God in Mans Creation 2 Because he had spoiled the glory of Gods order in the residue of the Creation But God could not suffer this and therefore it follows that God could not keep a perfect rest as long as Adam stood in a mutable condition neither could he keep a day of rest after Adams fall until he had made Adam and Eve perfect again by a Recreation and until he had established all the residue of the Creation upon that sure Rock whose work is perfect Deut. 32. 4. But as soon as God had re-created fallen Adam and Eve as the first fruits of his Holy Militant Church here on earth and of his Church Triumphant in Heaven then and not till then God rested on the seventh day from all his Work which he had made and then his rest was a most perfect rest so that nothing was lacking to the perfection thereof and therefore nothing could happen afterwards that could any way lessen or disturb his rest because he rested upon that sure Mediator who had Covenanted to break the Devils Head-plot by his propitiatory Sacrifice or Sacrifice of attonement for fallen Adam and Eve and for all the Elect to the end of the world CHAP. VIII Of the true nature of Gods rest on the Seventh Day FIrst It must be remembred That Gods rest on the seventh day was not a Natural rest after the labour of his six Days Work for the Creator of all the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Esa 40. 28. Secondly Neither was Gods rest on the seventh day a bare cessation from Creating any other sorts of Creatures though some inconsiderate Professors would have it to be no more thinking thereby to warrant their Carnal ease and their carelesse keeping of the Lords Day but such kinde of rest as this is Gods Soul doth hate Thirdly Neither was Gods rest upon the seventh day a bare contemplation of his visible Creation as others would have it thinking thereby to warrant their pleasant Re-creations and Contemplations upon the Lords Day by walking out into the Fields to behold the Works of God and to behold his eternal Power and God-head in the Creation thiâ— is not the true rest of the Sabbath for such duties as these a Heathen Philosopher may do upon the Sabbath Day and yet not observe the true rest of the Sabbath but this sort of Persons are mis-led by a false supposition that the Sabbath was first ordained as a day of rest in the time of Adams innocency for contemplation on the visible Creation only Fourthly The true nature of Gods rest on the seventh day That the true nature of Gods rest on the seventh day was his sweet content in the Mediator was his sweet content in the Mediator because he had made all his Creation perfect in the Mediator and because he had established Adams happiness upon the promised Seed as upon a sure Rock and firm Foundation and because he had put all the rest of the Creation under his feet As soon as God had thus renewed the face of the earth Psal 104. 30. and setled the government of all his Works upon the Person and Office of the Mediator then God rested on the seventh day with infinite content and sweet satisfaction rejoycing in the Works of his hands Psal 104. 31. but the thirtieth verse makes Gods Creation to be Spiritual as well as earthly and so doth Psal 100. 3. Psal 102. 18. Es 54. 5. Es 65. 18. This sweet satisfying rest which God took in setling all the works of his hands upon the Mediator is thus expressed by Moses In six days Jehovah made the Heavens and the Earth and in the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Exod. 31. 17. Gods resting was not from his wearinesse of labour in the work of Creation but from the heavie burden of Adams sin which had spoiled
were the Souls of Adam and Eve Re-created in the said six days as a true part of that sort of Creature which appertains to the spiritual Heavens and to the spiritual Earth and to the Church triumphant in Heaven hereafter and therefore seeing God made all things both in Heaven and Earth in six days he rested not on the seventh day till he had perfected Mans Creation by a Recreation procured by the redemption of the promised Seed which doubtlesse was the finishing work of Gods Creation on the sixth day so then our redemption from Satans Head-plot was the last finishing act of the whole Creation and therefore it was the only true reason of Gods rest on the first Sabbath Day and of his command why man should keep a holy rest on that day as it is also typified by the Redemption from Aegypt as in Deut. 5. 15. Hence it follows by necessary consequence that God ordained the sanctified rest of the seventh day to be a typicall sign unto fallen Man of his resting upon Christ by faith to break the Devils Head-plot for his Redemption by his propitiatory sacrifice in the fulnesse of time and then upon the performance thereof the typical use of the rest of the seventh day must cease and yet such a way must be found out by the Wisdom of God as that the seventh part of time according to the account of the days of the Week must not cease but it must still be preserved for the exercise of Gods publick Worship for seeing it hath pleased God to continue his plain and manifest Worship still to the end of the world it hath pleased him also to continue the seventh day for the exercise of his publick Worship to the end of the world and no other way can be found out to accomplish both these namely the ceasing of the seventh day as it was a typicall sign and the continuance of the seventh day without any intermission as it is the sanctified time of Gods publick Worship but by changing the seventh day into the first day of the Week as I shall hereafter shew more at large God willing And this answer to the abovesaid Objection is the rather to be credited because the Redemption from Aegypt by the typical blood of the Lamb is alleged by Christ as the general reasón to inforce his people to the observation of all the Commandements for the Angel of the Covenant saith thus in Exod. 20. 2. I Exod. 20. 2 Deut. 5. 14 15. am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt namely by the typical blood of the Paschal Lamb therefore remember the Sabbath Day to sanctifie it and so it must be applied as a reason to observe all the other Commandements and this sense is yet further inforced because all the precepts of the Law were sprinkled with the typical blood of Christs sacrifice of Attonement Exod. 24. 8. which doth plainly tell us that he by his sacrifice Exod. 24. 8. of Attonement hath procured his Fathers attonement for all our sins against all his holy Law 5 God doth account the violation of the Holy Rest of the seventh day by any mans work to be an exceeding great prophanenesse in every place of their abode for whiles his people were in their travels in the Wildernesse he did as deeply blame them for polluting the typical rest of the seventh day as he did after they were in a setled resting place in Canaan Eze. 20. 13. â—sou was branded with the title of Prâ—phaneness for contemâ—ing his Birth-right in the Land of Canaan because it was a type of the holy militant Church here on earth and of the holy triumphant Church in Heaven and the Jews were no lesse guilty of prophanenesse for despising the Typical rest on the seventh day by doing their own works therein for by doing their own works they committed a double sin on that day First They prophaned it as it was a sanctified sign and Secondly They abused it as it was the sanctified time of Gods Worship and therefore for this double sin God provided as it were a double death namely 1. Stoning to death Exod. 31. 14 15. for he that Exod. 31. 14 15. gathered sticks upon the Sabbath Day was stoned to death Num. 15. and 2. After they were stoned to death their dead Carcas was hanged upon a Tree for their deeper punishment and for the greater detestation of their sin as I have shewed elsewhere from the instance of the rebellious Son in Deut. 21. Yea God was so jealous for the holy rest of his Sabbath that he would not permit them to do any work at all about the promoting of the work of the Tabernacle though he had commanded that work to be done with all diligence Exod. 31. 13. as the place of his holy presence and residence among his people Exod. Exod. 31 13 25. 8 22. yet notwithstanding all this they might not do any work to further the building of it upon the Sabbath Day and the reason is added because I saith the Lord have ordained it to be a sign between me and you that you may know that I am the Lord that do sanctifie you that is to say I am the Lord that do command you to sanctifie the Sabbath Day as a sign of resting on Christ for when God doth sanctifie any thing for mans use hee doth thereby impose a command upon man to sanctifie that thing or to use it as a sanctified thing as I have erewhile noted in the beginning of this Chapter and therefore in this respect the Lord doth in Exod. 31. again and again inforce the observation of the Sabbath Day First By a fresh charge Yee shall keep the Sabbath and Secondly by a fresh reason It is holinesse to you namely it is a sign of Sanctification to you ver 14. yea it is Holinesse to Jehovah ver 15. and therefore in Exod. 16. 23. it is called the rest of Holinesse to Jehovah or an exact holy rest to Jehovah and in Exod. 31. 17. It is called a sign of the Everlasting Covenant between Exod. 31. 17 Jehovah and the Sons of Israel because Jehovah rested on the seventh day and was refreshed Conclusion It follows from all the Premises that God sanctified the rest of the seventh day not onely as the sanctified time of Gods worship both in publick and in private but also as a sanctified sign of Gods resting and of mans resting on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devils Head-plot by his propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement which he should accomplish at the very same time when the Devill by his instruments should peirce him in the foot-soals and therefore as soon as the Seed of the Woman had finished that sacrifice the Holy-rest of the seventh day ceased as well as all the other types of Moses Law 2 Cor. 3. 7. namely so far forth as it was a typical sign of the said resting on the
businesse to doe after this which must be done before the time of Sunset for the Lord commanded Joshua to sanctifie the people against the morrow Vers 13 14. But Joshua could not sanctifie them at the Sun-set Evening for then the day of their cleannesse must begin by the order of the Leviticall Law they must therefore be washed from their defilements in the afternoon or else they could not begin the day of their cleannesse at their Sun-set Evening and in case they did not begin the new day of their cleannesse at Sun-set they might not come before the Lords Arke on the morrow to beg Attonement for Transgressors as I have opened the matter more at large in Chap. 4. Now Joshua could not have sanctified the people in a fit manner to come before the Lords Ark on the morrow if he had lain still upon the earth till the Even-tide at Sun-set for Joshua must have a large time to inform all the people by a Proclamation through all the Camp what was the cause of the Lords anger and what they must do by way of preparation before they could obtain the Lords favour The thing they must do by way of preparation was to sanctifie themselves from their Ceremonial defilements by washing their Bodies and their Cloaths according to the Ceremonial customs as they are set down in Exod. 19. 10. Gen. 35. â— and this must be done in the same Even-tide wherein the Lord spake to Joshua and to the Elders saying Vp and sanctifie the people and say sactifie your selves against to morrow Vers 13. Now then consider the time that must be taken up for this Proclamation throughout all the Camp and consider the time they must have for the washing of all their Bodies and their Cloaths before Sun-set and then it will necessarily force us to understand this Even-tide of the Noon-tide Evening and not of the Sun-set Evening Sixthly I prove That the full naturall Evening begins at Mid-day when the Afternoon begins because the Evening in Scripture is often put for the Afternoon as the morning is put for the Forenoon In the morning sow thy seed and in the Evening let not thy hand rest Eccles 11. 6. Solâ—mons meaning is that men should be as diligent in doing good at all times as the Husband-man is in seed-time he will not rest from sowing his seed neither Forenoon nor afternoon because he knows not which will prove best A wise and diligent Husband-man will go out to sow his seed in the afternoon Evening and not defer it till the Sun-set Evening therefore by Solomons account the Evening begins with the Afternoon at Mid-day 2. It is said Psal 90. 6. In the morning the grasse flourisheth and groweth up but in the evening it is cut down and withereth The Husbandman doth not use to go out to mow his grasse in the evening after Sun-set or if he sometimes do so yet it doth not wither in the evening after Sun-set But Husbandmen use to take the opportunity to mow their grasse in the afternoon and then it withereth therefore the Evening begins with the afternoon 3. It is said in 1 Sam. 17. 16. that Goliah drew near Morning and Evening forty days together But Souldiers doe not use to call for a Pitched Battle in the evening after Sun-set but either in the Forenoon or in the Afternoon Evening 4. It is said 1 King 17. 6. That the Ravens brought bread and flesh to Elijah morning and evening but the Ravens do not use to carry meat in the evening after Sun-set for then they use to flie to their Roost and so to continue there all night Therefore the Ravens carried meat to Elijah in the Afternoon Evening Seventhly Paul sent for the Jews in Rome to come to his lodging that he might testifie unto them the things of the Kingdome of God and that he might perswade them concerning Jesus and they came at the day appointed and then Paul preached unto them from morning till evening Act. 28. 23. But I think no deliberate man will say that Paul continued his Sermon to that mixed multitude from the morning light till the evening at Sun-set The hungry bellies and captious spirits of most of these Jewes would not indure it neither would Pauls wisdom nor his strength suffer him to offer it especially seeing the Jewes of this Synagogue had before-hand manifested to Paul their dislike of this Sect vers 22. These circumstances considered this phrase from morning till evening must be understood of a convenient portion of time for one Sermon It is like they came to Pauls lodging at the ordinary houre wherein they used to resort to their Synagogues about nine a clock in the morning and it is like also that Paul continued his Sermon to them till the Noon-tide evening a little more or lesse as in wisdom he thought it convenient all circumstances considered and in likelihood the Jews would not appoint to meet at Pauls lodging before the ordinary hour of morning prayer nor be contented to stay longer than Dinner-time when the Evening begins at Mid-day therefore it may be gathered by probable conjecture that the evening began at Mid-day in Rome as well as in Iudea The first Naturall Day is divided two several ways by Moses in Gen. 1. 5. 1 Into Day and Night by the Line of Longitude 2 Into Evening and Morning by the Line of Latitude The Hebrew word Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. was well translated the Evening by our Ancestors because it is a connexture of so much Day and Night together as makes up an even and equal part of time to Boker the morning And secondly Because the Natural Evening is half Day and half Night therefore Moses doth eleven times over call it the two Evenings as it in noted in Chap. 2. Sect. 2. SECT 4. Bring a Description of the twofold Division of the first Naturall Day how and in what order every part of it was shaped named and framed together THe first Natural day in Gen. 1. 5 was twice divided by Moses just according to the Lines of Longitude and Latitude in the Globe and iâ— was shaped and framed together in this order Take a pâ—â—ce of paper and pourtray upon it the shape or image of a compasse Dial. Then first shadow out upon it the first darkness from the Nâ—rth point almost to the East point 2. Then shadow out a little peece of Twilight to fill it up to the East point as a sign that the light did thence break out of darknesse by degrees 3. Then shadow out a peece of light of six hours long for the ascending of the shining light from the East point to the South point 4. Then make a mark of distinction at the South point for the standing still of the light for a little while at Mid-day 5. Then shadow out another peece of light of six hours long for the declining of the light from the South point to the West point 6 Then write
I The Time when the FIRST SABBATH was Ordained 1 Negatively Not in the Time of Adams Innocency as many say it was 2 Affirmatively It was Ordained after the Time of Adams Fall and Re-creation II The Manner how the First Sabbath was Ordained 1 By blessing the Seventh Day with many Spiritual Ordinances both for publick and private use 2 By Sanctifying that Day for the Exercise of the said Ordinances 3 By Sanctifying the outward Rest of that Day to be a Typical Sign both of Gods Resting and of mans Resting in the Seed of the Woman that was promised to break the Devils Head-plot namely by his Propitiatory Sacrifice And hence it follows 1 That as the Sabbath was Ordained to be a Typical sign so it must be abolished as soon as Christ had performed his said Propitiatory Sacrifice 2 As it was Ordained to be the Sanctified Time for the Exercise of the said blessed Ordinances so the next day of the week into which it was changed must continue without intermission to the end of the world PART II. III A Treatise of HOLY TIME concerning the true limits of the Lords Day when it begins and when it ends is hereunto annexed By WILLIAM PYNCHON Esq Published by Authority LONDON Printed by R. I. and are to be sold by T. N. at the three Lions in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. To the Reader Christian Reader THis Industrious and Judicious Author doth here present thee with two distinct Tractates concerning the Christian Sabbath or Lords Day In the former the Divine Institution of it is cleerly proved In the latter the time of its beginning is particularly determined In the former the erronious conscience which denies the morality of the fourth Commandement is strongly convinced In the latter the scrupulous conscience which doubts of the time when the Sabbath begins is fully satisfied In both the serious Reader will find great profit and delight The whole Discourse being illaborate and perspicuous wherein besides the main points intended in it divers other matters of important Cognizance are occasionally decided and discussed and many obscure Scriptures are excellently explained according to the genuine sense thereof And this learned Discourse hath its birth in a very seasonable time in respect of that wofull defection and Apostacy that is among us as from the truth and wayes of God in general so in a special manner from the Religious esteem and observation of the Lords day For never since the light of the blessed and glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ shined upon this our Goshen was the Sabbath Day so wickedly neglected and prophaned by the generality of people and the Divine Institution thereof so shamefully denyed and decried by many pretenders to Religion as it is at this day And therefore Good Reader we heartily commend this necessary and usefull work to thy diligent perusal and thy self and thy humble and sincere inquiries after Truth unto the guidance and blessing of the God of all Truth Tho. Clendon Elidad Blackwel Joh. Sheffield Tho. Stevens Minister of Peters in the Isle of Thanet To the Reader IF our Testimony be of any weight with the Judicious Reader and may contribute any thing to incourage his perusal of this Book we have to signifie upon that acquaintance we have had with it that we judge it very worthy the publishing and perusing both for that in the former part it doth strenuously plead for the morality of the Sabbath and in the latter part gives occasion to learned Brethren of a contrary apprehension to consider whether they have not reason to captivate their judgements to the Authors as touching the beginning and ending of the Sabbath Samuel Slater Tho. Walley A Table of the chief Heads CHAP. I. PRoving by five Reasons That Adam fell on the day of his Creation  Reason 1. Because Moses joyneth mans Creation Tryal Judgement and Promise to the same day Page 1 R. 2. Because he fell at the very first instant that ever he eat any thing p. 5 R 3. Because Adam being created after God in wisdome would not in wisdome have omitted to have eaten of the Tree of Life in the very day of his creation if the Devil had not first circumvented him by the unseen subtilty of his Temptation p. 6 R. 4. Because the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtil Serpent if he had left Adam at liberty to eat of the Tree of life but one whole day together p. 8 R. 5. Because the Woman fell while she was a Virgin p. 21 The time of the Fall of the Angels now called the Devil was when they were commanded to attend upon Adam and Eve at their first entrance into Paradise p. 10 The true nature of the first Covenant stood in obedience or disobedience not to a moral but to a positive command p. 12 The Devil knew the operation of the forbidden fruit better than Adam and Eve could do as long as they stood in their unconfirmed Innocency p. 15 CHAP. II. Proving by three Reasons that Adam was Re-created in the same day in which he was created and fell p. 23 Reason 1. From the order of Gods dealing with him immediately after his Fall p. 23 R. 2. From the new name Hevah Life which he gave to his wife p. 26 R. 3. From the word Enmity which God put into her as a holy qualification against the Serpent that had deceived her p. 28 The cool of the day in Gen. 3. when God came to examine Adam was about Mid-day p. 23 CHAP. III. Proving by a double Inference that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 30 1 Drawn from the word Host and Finished in Gen. 2. 1. p. 34 For if all the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day then it follows that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 34 2 Drawn from the word Had made in Gen. 2. 2. p. 35 For if God had made something in the sixth day that needed a new finishing act before the seventh day as the Text speaks then what can that finishing act else be but Adams Re-creation by the Promised Seed p. 35 Adam in his Innocency could not so well honour all his Creators as after his Fall and Re-creation p. 37 The Mystical as well as the Natural Creation was made and finished before the seventh day and therefore Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 39 The Creation of the Humane Nature of Christ was the perfection of the whole Creation in the latter part of the sixth day p. 39. 46 CHAP. IV. God could not be said to keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day untill he had put out sundry opperations of his Eternal Providence for the finishing or perfecting of that work which he had made but mutably perfect in the fore-part of the sixth day p. 42 CHAP. V. This term which he had made in Gen. 2. 2. hath relation to the Creation of the
him the tree of knowledge of good and evill 3 He shews the matter and manner of the Womans creation of Adams Rib vers 18. which he had omitted in Chap. 1. and it is placed in Chap. 2. vers 18. by the figure Hysteron Proteron because there was not to be found among all the other creatures that were brought before Adam a meet helper for Adam vers 20. she was the last sort of all the visible creatures of this world 4 God brings the woman to the man and joyns them together in Mariage as a meet helper for him vers 22. This was omitted in Chap. 1. 5 He shews that the place of their creation was without the borders of Paradise vers 8. 15. compared with Chap. 3. 23. 6 He describes the situation of that pleasant Garden of Paradise which God made for the place of their habitation as an addition to their happy condition by creation vers 8. c. but this is to be marked that Moses doth by the figure Hysteron Proteron place their aboad in Paradise vers 8. c. before the creation of the woman which figure he useth very often in this Chapter and in the third Chapter 7 He shews the special use of two Trees above the rest by special names vers 9. 8 He shews that God gave Adam and Eve a twofold command concerning these two Trees The first was a positive command saying unto them in the singular number because of their Mariage-union Of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest eat but of that Tree which doth most concern the good of thy present condition I have named the Tree of life therefore in the first place eat of the Tree of life and thou shalt live for ever for by the name of it God did not onely shew the use of it but also he shewed them their duty concerning it verse 9. compared with Chapter 3. 22. Secondly By way of prohibition and commination God commanded them saying Eat not of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death Gen. 2. 17. 9 Unto all these particulars in this order connexed together Moses doth immediately proceed to speak of Adams temptation by the Serpent Gen. 3. 1. and of his Fall Gen. 3 6. And thus after this sort Moses doth adjoyn Adams fall fast to his Creation and seating in Paradise without making mention of any other matter that came between This Reason is further strengthned by the consent of sundry good Authors both ancient and latter Calvin saith in Gen. 3. 6. It may be gathered by the Narration of Moses That Adam and Eve did not long keep their Dignity which they had received for as soon as he had but said they were made making no mention of any other matter he passeth to shew the Fall Mr. Ainsworth also observeth in Gen. 3. 1. That mans fall and misery is immediately joyned to his creation and seating in Paradise Mr. Broughton also observeth in his Sinai-sight Tab. 1. That Moses joyneth mans Creation Triall Judgement and Promise to the same day before the woman was called Eve M. Broughton also in his shewing of corruptions in Religion p. 85. saith The first day in which Adam was made he disobeyed as all may see by the continued narration for Eve and for the Serpents Speech and Temptation and Judgement for Curse upon all the Earth The Hebrew Doctors also do generally hold that Adam fell on the day of his creation Mr. Broughton saith in Consent of Scripture that he never heard of any one of them that was of a contrary judgement and Mr. Ainsworth saith in Gen. 3. that the Hebrew Doctors hold that nothing in that Chapter was done after the sixth day of Creation and saith Maymony All our wise men do agree that this whole matter in Gen. 3. was done in the sixth day Rabbi Nathan doth make the story of the sixth day remarkable by joyning many things to the story of that day in sundry Rhetoricall expressions saying thus The same day that Adam was formed the same day that he was created the same day that his fashion was fashioned the same day that his mould was made the same day that his members were knit the same day that his veines were opened the same day that life was put into him the same day that he stood first upon his feet the same day that Eve was maried to him the same day that he gave names the same day that he entred into Paradise the same day that God gave him the Commandement the same day he disobeyed the same day he was driven out of Paradise Perkins on the Creed touching the time of Adams Fall saith The received opinion in former ages hath been that our first Parents fell the same day in which they were created and therefore Augustine writes That they stood but six hours and though we cannot determine the certain time yet in all likelihood saith he it was very short for after that Moses had set down the creation of man he presently without the interposition of any thing else comes immediately to the fall Irenaeus Conâ—ra Haere Lib. 1. speaking of the day of Adams Creation and Fall saith It is evident that the Lord obeying his Father suffered death in that day wherein Adam being disobedient unto God dyed for on the sixth day the day before the Sabbatb was his Passion which was the sixth day of the Creation of the world when man was formed Chrysostome on Matth. saith That Adam and Eve in the sixth day of the first week which was the very same day of their creation were cast out of Paradise Divers other Divines both Greeks and Latines are concurrent in the same opinion many of which are also cited by Mr. Broughton in his Consent of Scripture where he citeth this as a common saying among them That in one day Adam was formed and deformed And so consequently from this Reason it follows that the Sabbath was not instituted in the time of Adams Innocency but after his Fall Reason 2. Adam fell the very first time that ever he eat any thing and therefore he fell on the day of his creation for in reason he Adam fell in the day of his creation because he fell the very first time of his eating would not abstain from eating longer than that day seeing variety of meat was created ready for him to eat and an appetite created to desire food And that he fell the very first time of eating it is evident First By the Devils Question and secondly By the Womans Answer 1 The Devil in the Serpent demandeth this Question of the woman Hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden Gen. 3. 1. mark how the Devils demand by way of Query is of a thing to come And indeed the Devill had not deserved the name of a subtil Serpent if he had demanded whether that might be done which had been
that Tree in the first place and then the Devill knew well enough by the name of that Tree that if Adam and Eve had but first eaten of that fruit he had been confirmed in his happy condition for ever and that he could not have been circumvented by any temptation whatsoever afterwards This subtil and guileful head-plot of the Devil lay not onely in the hiddennesse and unseen danger of his temptation but also in the speedinesse of the execution of it for if it had not been speedily put in execution the then unseen danger had been prevented by Adams wisdome in eating of the Tree of life in the first place But the Devil was so speedy in the transaction of this temptation that he gave Adam no opportunity of time to go first to the Tree of lâ—fe and this may further be demonstrated from the antecedent Preposition in Gen. 3. 1. Now or Then or And this word of connexion doth conjoyn and knit together sundry actions 1 This word Now hath relation to the womans creation and mariage with Adam because among all the other creatures he found not a meet helper for Adam 2. It hath relation to the time of their entrance into Paradise 3 To the time of the Devils fall 4 To the time of the Devils entrance into the Serpent 5 To the time of their first eating All these things fell out together even in the neck one of another and all of them as I conceive in the same order as I have ranked them 1 God brought the woman to the man that he might name with a name defining her nature and that he might mary them her together as one flesh and this time of Adams mariage with Eve was iust before his entrance into Paradise but some unadvised Expositors do confound this order for they place the time of Adams mariage not before but after he came into Paradise First Because it is said that Adam in the singular number was put therein Gen. 2. 8 15. Secondly Because the womans creation and mariage is not recorded till after mention of Adams seating in Paradise verse 22 23. But a sensible reason may be given to both these first Under the name of Adam in the singular number the woman is included because God had made them but one flesh by mariage immediately before their entrance into Paradise and in that respect the Seventy translate Yee for Thou in Gen. 2. 17. because they understood both of them to be comprehended under the term Thou And therefore those Mariage-Books saith Mr. Broughton have an over-sight that say The woman was formed in Paradise for the Commandement Thou shalt not eat thereof in vers 17. went not before the creation of the woman nor before her mariage to Adam but after she had the Commandement as well as Adam in the same term Thou as being but one flesh by mariage See Bro. in principal Positions Pag. 10. and the matter is out of controversie for the woman doth testifie that the Commadement was given to them both joyntly for thus saith she to the Serpent God hath said ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dye Gen. 3. 3. in this sentence she doth three times over affirm that Gods prohibition was given to them both joyntly The story of the time of Adams mariage lyes thus First God in the sixth day created all sorts of Beasts of the Earth and all sorts of the Fowls of the air Secondly Then he created Adam after his own Image as the glory of all his creation And thirdly then he brought all the said creatures before him that he might put suitable names upon them as their Lord and that they might wait upon him as their Lord Gen. 2. 19 20. But fourthly Because among them all God did not find out a meet helper for Adams society thereupon God as a most expert Surgeon did cast Adam into a deep sleep and took out one of his Ribs and of that Rib as a most mighty Creator he made a woman and this was the last sort of visible creatures that God made Fifthly Then God brought her unto Adam to see what Adam would call her and he being exquisite in understanding said This now is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of man And sixthly At this instant God gave her in mariage to Adam to be as one flesh and to be a meet helper to him And therefore secondly the onely reason why the womans creation and mariage is not recorded till after the mention of Adams seating in Paradise is because by the figure Hysteron Proteron he would shew the close joyning of the Devils temptation and of their Fall to their mariage 2 This word of connexion And or Now hath relation to the time of Adam and Eves entrance into Paradise it was Now namely as soon as God had joyned them together as one flesh by mariage which was done without the borders of Paradise he did without delay carry them both into Paradise as to the place of pleasure that he had in a special manner prepared for their delight and comfort during the time of their innocency There he put the man that he had formed Gen. 2. 8. And the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden Gen. 2. 15. and after his fall thence God sent him forth to till the ground whence he was taken Gen. 3. 23. From these Scriptures it is evident that as soon as God had given the woman in mariage to Adam he presently brought them both into Paradise and commanded all sorts of creatures to attend on them into Paradise as on their Sovereign Lord Gen. 1. 26 28. Gen. 2. 19. and this is also evident because the Serpent was there ready among the other Beasts of the field to do service to them Gen. 3. 1. And because God had made man to be the glory of his whole creation he did command not onely his earthly creatures but his heavenly Angels also to attâ—nd upon them into Paradise as it may be gathered because God doth still command his Angels to attend upon such as he hath The time of the fall of the Angels now called the Devil was when they were commanded to attend upon Adam Eve in Paraâ—ise dignified to be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. Psal 91. 3 This word of connexion Now hath reference to the time of the Devils Fall For the heavenly Angels that rejoyced at the hanging of the Globe of the Earth upon nothing Job 38. 7. were now commanded to attend upon Adam and Eve into Paradise is well as the Beasts of the field But many legions of these heavenly Angels disobeyed that chaâ—ge for they saw that mans body was but an earthly substance and that themselves were heavenly See H. Bro. in Ecc his Chief Mark. spirits thereupon they not knowing the glory of mans Election in Christ
otherwise and therefore it follows by good consequence that Adam did give her that new Name by way of excellency namely because she had now received the new life of Faith in that seed of hers that should break the Devils Head-plot And secondly because she was the first Woman that did live by faith therefore she must needs be the Mother of all that should after live by faith in her Seed Christ and in that respect she as well or rather more fully than Sara may well be called the Mother of all that do live by faith 1 Pet. 3. 6. Gal. 4. 22. 28. 31. 2 As Adam doth testifie his Wives faith so also he doth fully testifie his own faith in giving her the new name Hevah his faith is fully evident by this because by this new name he did so clearly distinguish her present new Spiritual condition from her corrupted condition Immediatly before this not only the Woman but Adam also were Spiritually dead in corruption and sin but it pleased God to take such a speedy course for their humiliation and conviction and for their reconciliation and conversion by the Seed of the Woman that Adam thereupon in testimony both of his own faith and of his Wifes faith did by way of excellency call her Hevah and so he changed her name from Isha to Hevah that is to say from woman to life And thus we have seen how the Seed of the Woman Christ Jesus did honour his first Parents with the life of faith and as hee did honour them so doubtlesse he did continue to honour all his Natural Parents after the flesh sooner or later with the like honour of the life of faith and therefore they do ill that makâ— the several wicked Kings of Solomons house in Matth. 1. to bee his Fathers after the flesh Christ came not of Solomons house as the Apostate Jews and some unadvised Christians do hold but he comes of Solomons brother called Nathan and all his Natural Fathers are laid down in Luke 3. and I make no question but he did honour every one of them with the grace of true faith according to his first example and this may teach all good children to honour their Parents with their best abilities Reas 3. It is evident that Adam and Eve were re-created in the day of their Creation and Fall by the word enmity against The conversion of our fiâ—st Parents is recordâ—â— in he Womans enmity against the Seâ—pent and hâ—s Seed the Serpent I will saith God put enmity between thee and the Woman At the first the Woman looked upon the Serpent as a faithful and diligent servant for her good and that the Angel that gave it speech was a good Angel and therefore the Woman was in great amity with them and with the Serpents fair and specious perswasions but now God told the Devil in the Serpent that he would from this time forth put enmity instead of amity betwixt him and the Woman and betwixt both their Seeds This enmity between the Dâ—vil and the Woman ariseth from two contrary Principles 1 The Dâ—vils enmity against the Woman is because by her re-creation and reconciliation which was effected by her Seed Christ he was disappointed of his Head-plot which was to bring the whole race of Man under his power and dominion 2 The Womans enmity against Satan is manifestâ—d by seeking the ruine of his dominion by advancing the Kingdom and power of Christ in her Soul by getting an assurance of her Redemption from Satans Hâ—ad-plot reconciliation with God pardon of sin and power against corrupt affections for time to come This holy qualification of enmity which God by his Spirit had now put into Eves Soul against Satans Hâ—ad-plot is another sure note of her sound conversion which was effected and brought to passe in the cool of the self-same day in which Adam was created and fell Dâ—ubtlesse the Woman did now say in her heart as David once said in Psalm 139. Do not I O Jehovah hate them that hate thee and am not I grieved for those that rise up against thee with perfection of hatred do I hate them they are to me for â—nemies Psal 139. 21 22. But though the woman was now converted reconciled and justified from the condemning power of her sins yet she was not freed from temporal afflictions and chastisements and therefore it pleased God to lay upon her certain degrees of punishment for her humiliation and upon all her sex for her sake First because she was first in the Transgression God made her desires subject to her husband Gen. 3. 16. Secondly God made her and all her Sex to bring forth children in pain and sorrow But notwithstanding these degrees of her humiliation God hath honoured the woman with a certain special honour above the man because Jesus Christ the Mediator was conceived and born of the seed of the woman alone without the help of man and therefore Adam might not reproach his wife because she was first in the Transgression but he must and did honour her because she was to be the chief outward instrument of Christs Incarnation And secondly because she was made an heir as well as Adam of the promise of life by faith 1 Pet. 3. 7. and in that respect there is now no difference between the male and the female but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 28. And the woman also may comfort her self in Christ notwithstanding her painful travell in Child-birth that she shall be saved by the promised seed of the woman if she continue in faith and love and sanctification 2 Tim. 2. 15. Conclusion Having in this Chapter made it evident by three Reasons as I conceive that Adam and Eve were Re-created and effectually converted from Sathan to God in the day of their Creation and Fall It follows by good consequence That God did not ordain the Sabbath in the time of Adams Innocency but after his Fall and Re-creation by the Promised Seed CHAP. III. Proving that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day namely in the latter part of the sixth day I Will labour to make this evident by a double inference 1 From the word Host and Finished Gen. 2. 1. 2 From the word Had made and Finished Gen. 2. 2. But for the better discerning of the said Inferences I will first labour to explain the text in Gen. 2. 1 2 3. Vers 1. And the Heavens and the Earth were Finished and all the Host of them Vers 3. And before the seventh day God had finished the work that he had made And he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had made Verse 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it be had rested from all his works which God had created and made Two things must be marked for the better understanding of these words 1 Touching the translation of the word Before in vers 2. 2 Touching the circumstance of
by the Mediator neither could the Holy Trinity have been so glorious in his Soul as they were after his Fall and recreation 5 This sentence before the seventh day God had finished the work that he had made is a remarkable sentence full of Spiritual weight and worth because it imports that though Adam and Eve were created but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day yet that they were recreated and made perfect by the promised Seed in the latter part of that day namely before the seventh day and that this finishing act of Gods Creation by a Recreation was the perfection of the whole Creation so that nothing could be added to it afterwards to make the Creation The Creation of the Human Nature of Christ in the latter part of the sixth day was the perfection of the whole Creation more perfect to the worlds end for by the Creation of the Human nature of Christ of the Seed of the Woman which must be created in the sixth day for it is a Creature and therefore it was truly existing in that Prophetical declaration of it Gen. 3. 15. I say this addition to the Creation in the cool of the sixth day made the whole Creation perfect and intire lacking nothing and so much the word had made and had finished must import namely it must import such a finishing act and perfection of all the Creation as must have as full and as large a The Mystical as well as the Natural Creation was finished and made before the Seventh day and therefore Adam and Eve were re-created before the seventh day sense as can be contained in the Scriptures namely it must have a Mystical sense as well as a Literal John saith Chap. 1. 3. All things were made by him even all things without exception that were made were made by him in six days therefore we must not leave any sort of Creature out of the Work of those six days excepting him that did create them so that whatever Mystical thing is found in any part of the Scripture to be Created by God in relation to Man or to the Mediator it must be included as a particular Commentary or Exposition of these terms had finished had made had created Before the seventh day Arius denied Christ to be of the same nature with his Father See the Sum of Divinity by Jo. Downham p. 35. See also more here in ch 5. and made him only a Creature yet he held him to be an excellent Creature and as it were a secondary God Created before the World and by whom God Created the World and saved Mankind and therefore as a God in Office to be adored not in Essence The like he saith of the Holy Ghost But seeing it is plain that God made all Creatures in six days both the Son and the Spirit if they were Creatures must have been comprehended in that work Hence I inferre that seeing the Human nature of Christ was a Creature and differing much from fallen man because he was conceived by the Holy Ghost it must be comprehended in the Creation of the sixth day and therefore his Human nature did exist in that Prophetical declaration of being made of the Seed of the Woman to break the Serpents head John saith All things were made by him even his own Human nature and without him was nothing made that was made John 1. 3. and the Apostle makes Christ as Mediator to be the first of all things that he might be the Head of his Body the Church that in all things he might have the preheminence therefore Adam and Eve must be Re-created in the day of their Creation that so from that day forward Christ might be the Head of his Body the Church that in all things he might have the preheminence Col. 1. 15. to 19. and in this respect also Christ is said to save us and to call us by a holy Calling before the world was 2 Tim. 1. 9. because he was ordained to his Office before the world was 6 The very frame of the words in Gen. 22. being delivered so often in the pretertence may assure us that not only the first natural being or existing of the Creation is meant but that the very best supernatural being thereof is also meant for if the adding of some Common gifts to Nature be called a Creation Eze. 28. 14 15. then the super-adding of saving gifts to fallen man must needs be esteemed as the highest degree of all Gods Creation as these Scriptures do testifie Ier. 33. 26. Ezek. 43. 1. 7. 15. 21. Es 44. 2. Ephes 2. 10. Psal 100. 3. Psal 102. 18. Hence it follows that seeing the Heavens and the Earth were finished after they had been made it must be understood that they were finished by the Redemption and Gubernation of the promised Seed before the seventh Day and therefore that Adam and Eve must necessarily be recreated on the sixth day and so by the Figure Synedoche and also by the figure Continent for the thing contained they must be a part of the New Heavens and of the New Earth as well as all other re-created Souls are Es 51. 16. Es 65. 17 18. Es 66. 22. Es 41. 20. Psal 96. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. The finishing act of that which God had created in the end of the sixth day by the promised Seed may well be resembled to the finishing act of the Temple by Joash and Jehoiâ—da they imployed faithful Work-men to repair it after that wicked Athaliah had destroyed it and then it is said That a Healing went up upon the work 1 Chro. 24. 13. that is to say the breaches and decays thereof were healed repaired and amended for to heal a thing is to repair it or to make it perfect and sound again 2 Chro. 7. 14. Psal 60. 2. 2 Chro. 34. 10. and thus the Temple which had been made was re-created finished and perfected by those faithful men ver 14. In like sort after that Satan by his malicious Head-plot had ruinated and broken down that glorious Temple-work of Gods Creation by inticing Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden Fruit then God laid help upon one that was able and faithful to repair it for in the end of the sixth day God told the Devil by way of threatning and Adam and Eve by way of Promise That the Seed of the Woman should break this Head-plot of the Devil by his Mediatorial obedience when he should make his Soul a propitiatory Sacrifice for his sin even at the same time when the Devil should peirce him in the foot-soals as a sinful Malefactor now God could not declare this but by his Sons pre-consent contract and Covenant upon his undertaking Gods Attonement or Reconciliation was procured and the holy Spirit was procured thereby also for Adams re-creation and so a Healing went up upon the Creation by this faithful Workman and blessed Mediator Christ Jesus the strong Rock whose work
I shall yet a little further endeavour to make this point more evident namely that the sanctified rest of the seventh day was ordained to be as a sanctified sign of fallen mans resting on the promised seed by faith for the breaking of the Devils Head-plot for Mans redemption and so consequently as a sign of mans eternal rest in Heaven hereafter Reas 1. Because the Sabbath in respect of the strict rest of it is called a sign of the everlasting Covenant Exod. 31. 13. 17. Exod. 31. 13 17 Hâ—b 4. 3 9 10 Heb. 4. 3 9 10. now there is no everlasting Covenant but that which is made in the Bloud of Christ and this Covenant of bringing man to Life thereby is the only sure thing to rest upon but this Covenant was not made with Man in innocency but after his Fall therefore the Sabbath was not ordained to be a sign of this everlasting Covenant till after Adam fell and therefore Adam fell before the seventh day Reas 2. Because God ordained sundry other things to be sanctified types and signs of mans resting on Christ by faith as Synonima to the rest of the seventh day as any that have their understandings wel exercised in the Scriptures may easily discern 1 Consider this that God sanctified the outward rest of all the Festival Sabbaths as the type of our resting on the Seed of the Woman by faith for the breaking of the Devils head-plot and this is evident by Moses description of them in Levit. 23. there he reckons up eight several Festival Sabbaths in order but hee puts the seventh day first because it is the chiefest of them all for it is the ground and foundation of all the rest and it is to be specially noted that Moses doth call the seventh day a Festival Sabbath ver 2. as well as all the rest and yet it was no Feasting Sabbath in respect of Belly-cheer as the rest were except in a Spiritual sense and in that sense the Holy Rest of them all did typifie the same spiritual resting on the seed of the Woman and the same spiritual feasting on the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ for Mans redemption which was typified by their feasting on their Peace-offerings on their Festival Sabbaths and so the day of Attonement though it were a day of strict fasting yet it was a day of Spiritual feasting and resting on the promised Seed as the seventh day was 2 The sanctified rest of the seventh day did typifie the same things that Josuahs rest did for in six years War he conquered the Canaanites and in the seventh year the Land rested The Apostle doth make this rest and the rest of the seventh day to bee both alike Heb. 4. for he doth first make them to typifie our Spiritual rest on Christ by faith and secondly to typifie our eternal rest in Heaven at last Heb. 4. 3. 9 10. Heb. 4. 3 9 10 3 The Sabbatical years of rest in Lev. 25. and the Sabbatical Jubile of rest which is also called a great Sabbath in Levit. 25. 4. did alike typifie our resting on Christ by faith for our full deliverance from the servitude of Satan just answerable to the typical rest of the seventh day and in that respect Moses doth compare the typical rest of them all together in Exod. 23. Exod. 23. 10 11 12. 10 11 12. None can be ignorant of the manifold great troubles that did often fall out upon Gods people in the Land of Canaan soon after the rest which it had in Joshuahs seventh year but yet notwithstanding so sweet was that rest which Joshua obtained for them after six years War that God was pleased to make that year of rest to begin the Chronologie of all their Sabbatical years of rest from thence till all ended in the Death and Sacrifice of Christ who is the true rest of all beleeving sinners and by allusion to this typical rest our Saviour doth invite all poor and heavie laden sinners to come unto him and they shall find rest to their souls Matth. 11. 29. Es 11. 10. Eze. 34. 15 25 27 28 Jer. Mat. 11. 29 33. 15 16. Jer. 30. 10. And our Saviour in Luke 4. 19. doth expound the true nature of Luk. 4. 18 19 that spiritual rest that was typified by the Sabbatical rest of the Jubile 1 By calling it the acceptable year of the Lord and 2 By telling us in vers 18. that God had annoynted him to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the Broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind and that he should set at liberty them that are bruised this opens the sweet rest and refreshing of Soul that every poor humbled sinner doth finde by the seed of the Woman in breaking the Devils Head-plot for their deliverance help and healing And this famous deliverance by the seed of the Woman was accomplished by his propitiatory sacrifice in a Sabbatical year of Jubilee namely in the twenty eighth Jubilee as may be seen in Brougbtons Consent 4 The redemption of Israel out of Aegypt by the Typical sign of the Bloud of the Paschal Lamb is laid down as the main reason why God did sanctifie the rest of the seventh day in Deut. 5. 14 15. and that shews that not the Visible but the Spiritual Deut. 5. 14 15 Creation was the true ground and reason why God blessed and sanctified the first seventh day Hence it follows from the Premises that the Holy Rest of the seventh day was a typical sign of our resting on Christ by faith for our redemption from Satans Head-plot Object Why doth God in Exod. 20. 11 command man to rest on the Exod. 20. 11 Sabbath Day from all bis Works because he rested on the seventh day from Creating the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein visible and invisible Col. 1. 16. seeing in Deut. 5. 15. he gives another differing reason as the only ground of commanding man to rest on the Sabbath Day Deut. 5. 15 because Jehovah thy God brought thee out of Aegypt by a strong hand namely by killing all their first born but delivering the first born of Israel by the bloud of the Lamb sprinkled on their door posts as a sign of their redemption c. Answ I answer that the true ground and reason of Gods rest and of his commanding man to rest in both places is alike there is no difference at all if the true sense of both places bee rightly understood for God rested not from the works of Creaation Our Redemption from Satans Head-plot was the last finishing act of the whole Creation therefore iâ— must needs be the only true reason of Gods rest and of his commanding man to rest on the first seventh day untill he had made the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein as Christ doth testifie Exod. 20. 11. now if all things in Heaven and Earth were made in six days then
Feast of Unleavened-bread seven dayes and seven dayes with joy 2 Chr. 30. 22 23. 2 Chr. 30. 22 23. 10 God honoured the seventh day by instructing Joshua how to subdue the City Jericho by the divine art of Seven he directed him to compasse about the City seven dayes with the Ark of Gods presence and seven Priests must go before the Ark having seven Trumpets made of seven Rams horns and on the seventh day they must compasse the City seven times and at the seventh time the seven Priests must blow with their seven Trumpets and then the wall of the City should fall down flat Jos 6. 4 5. This divine Miracle by the number seven was doubtlesse so done in honor of the first famous seventh day wherein God rested from all his works when he had made the Creation perfect and intire lacking nothing by the Redemption and Gubernation of the Promised Seed 11 It is not without a divine Allusion to the seventh day that the Golden Candlestick was framed into seven branches yea all the particulars of it were so contrived that when they are exactly counted they do amount to just six sevens as the Hebrew Doctors have cast them and they say that this number is so necessary that if it did but fail in one particular it failed in all See Ains in Exod. 25. 31. And accordingly if it be but regarded the sixth day and the seventh day have the most famous stories belonging unto them that are in all the Bible 12 The number seven is made famous by the Holy Ghost in the Mystical Revelation which Christ commanded the Apostle John to write for the use and benefit of his Redeemed servants to the end of the world There the Vision of the seven Golden Caandlesticks represented the seven Churches of Asia and to the said seven Churches there doth belong seven Stars and seven Angels there are also seven Angels with seven Trumpets and seven Angels with seven Incense cups of wrath pouring out seven plagues there are also seven Thunders uttering seven voyces and a Book with seven Seals there are also seven Spirits seven Horns and seven Eyes Rev. 5. On the contrary there is given to the Dragon seven Heads and seven Crowns Rev. 12. 3. and the seven Heads are the seven Mountains Rev. 17. 9. and there are also seven Kings c. Can all these particulars be without any allusion to the first famous seventh day I suppose that no advised Expositor dares affirm the contrary 2 I come now to the second thing to be marked touching the 2 Divers 〈◊〉 persons of rare eminency in Scripture are marked cut by the number 7 in an honorable remembrance of the first famous seventh day number Seven namely that God hath marked out many holy men of special note by the number seven in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day 1 Henoc is noted by the Holy Ghost to be a Prophet and to be the seventh from Adam Jude v. 14. He was rare in the faith of Christ Heb. 11. 5. and he was by the mighty power of God taken away from the wicked Apostate world because they were not worthy of him when he was Three hundred sixty five yeers old Gen. 5. 23. just answerable to the dayes of the yeer according to the course of the Sun and as he was the seventh Patriarch so when he was taken away there remained seven Patriarchs alive as witnesses of his Translation And by his name it is evident that his Father did at his Birth dedicate him to God in opposition to those Apostate times for the impiety of those dayes is noted out to our hand by the Prophecie of Enoch in Jude v. 14 15. Behold saith he the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints to give Jude 14 15 judgement upon all men and to rebuke all the ungodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they have impiously committed and of all their wicked speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him The horrible impiety of those days is also noted out unto us by the wicked tyrannical speeches of Lamech and Cain in Gen. 4. 23 24. and Gen. 4. 23 24 Job 22. 25 2 Pet. 2. 5 their impiety and wicked speakings is also noted out unto us by Job 22. 15. and by Peter for he calls them the world of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2. 5. Obj. Here it may be demanded how it can be proved that Enoch did Propbesy that the wicked world should be drowned by a deluge Ans Jude saith that Enoch did Prophesy saying Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints to give judgement upon all men and what other Judgement did come in general upon all men but the floud Secondly His Prophecy that God would destroy the wicked World by a Floud is briefly and yet plainly enough declared in the name which he gave to his Son at his birth for he called him Meth-u-shelach which in English sounds thus Meth hee dyeth or when this Childe dyeth U then Shelah he sendeth or God sendeth and what else did God send but the Judgement threatned upon all men in general as I noted above and what judgement was that but the floud This famous Prophet is called the seventh from Adam doubtlesse in an Honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day Moses saith He walked with God Gen. 5. 24. but the Apostle Gen. 5. 24 Heb. 11. 5 doth thus expound it He pleased God Heb. 11. 5 6. for when hee offered sacrifice he looked to Christ the true Sacrifice which only pleaseth God Mat. 3. 17. and in the course of his life he walked in obedience to Gods will Secondly Eber was the seventh from Enoch he was another rare man for grace and godlinesse for he kept the faith at the building of the Tower of Babel when all the other Families of Noah did Apostatise therefore God hath honoured his memonial in a double respect 1 In communicating unto him the spirit of Prophecy as well as he had done to Enoch as we may gather by the name which he gave his Son at the building of Babel for it is said that hee called his Son Peleg and the reason is added because in his days the earth was divided Gen. 10. 25. Now he that could give his Son Gen. 10. 2◠such a name as to declare such an event must needs be a Prophet and by this wee may certainly know that he preached to the builders of Babel that though they had high imaginations to build a Tower whose top might reach unto Heaven that they might in a near distance worship the Sun Moon and Starres thinking thereby to get themselves another Sem or name for now they had rejected Sems Tents and had removed themselves from Canaan where Sem and Eber lived into Babylon in despite of Sem who had the promise of the blessed Seed to come from his Ioyns therefore the Prophet Eber did tell them that for that
25 27 15 42 82 105 16 1 108 Luke 3 5 14 9 12 25 9 19 76 13 17 110 18 12 18 22 1 78 22 14 73 23 54 83 105 23 56 65 108 John 7 55 53 13 12 89 14 19 113 118 18 28 79 19 14 27 79 19 31 82 105 19 40 107 20 6 7 107 20 19 104 113 Acts. 10 41 118 21 26 53 26 13 7 28 23 29 1 Corinth 15 4 104 Galathians 3 12 54 Hebrews 10 7 13 Revelation 1 16 76 7 1 46 Errata of the second part of this Treatise Page Line  11 18 read That for the 46 26 r. Northerly 51 28 r. departed â—6 ulâ— r. meaning is 101 16 r. Lev. 23. 7. 107 23 r. come 109 8 r. but a bare Other Escapes the Reader may mend HOLY TIME CHAP. I. Proving that the First Darknesse in Gen. 1. 5. was not a compleat Night By three Reasons Reason I. BEcause the first Darknesse wanted a Twilight going before it which is a proper adjunct and a true part of a true created night and therefore the first created night was not without it and our owne experience doth witnesse that every compleat night hath a Twilight going before it in the evening as a true part thereof as well as a Twilight at the end of it in the morning But the first Darknesse though it had a Twilight in the end of it immediately before the light shined out yet it wanted a Twilight in the beginning of it therefore it was not a full night it was no more but a Synecdoche Membri a part of the first night And indeed there could not be a compleat night at first not untill the Artificial day was first compleatly formed by the shining out of the light twelve houres together and then at the end of the said twelve houres the light went out of that horizon and then there succeeded another darknesse of twelve Houres which began with a Twilight The first halfe of this darknesse made up the first darknesse to be a compleat night of twelve houres and the other halfe went on towards the beginning of the second natural day And thus after this order and manner the first night was created shaped and limited with a double Twilight and by this means it became a true pattern and sampler to all the other Creation nights Mr. Thomas Wilson in his Mystical Cases in Aenigmate 35. propounds this necessary Question How can there be Darknesse where there is no Night Thâ— Answer hereunto saith he must be referred to the first Creation onely By this Answer of his it is evident that hâ— did not hold the first Darknesse to be a true night as most Interpreters doe though much amisse in so doing The summe of what I have said may be drawn up into this Syllogism No Darknesse that wants the true shape and form of a compleat night can be called a compleat night But the first Darknesse wanted the true shape and form of a compleat night because it wanted a Twilight in the begining of it which is an inseparable adjunct to the true shape and form of a compleat night Therefore the first Darknesse cannot in proper speech be called a compleat night The Proposition is so clear that I need not prove it because no man I thinke will deny it The Assumption is thus proved God made the Stars to rule in the night Gen. 1. 17. And the Stars were set first into their dominion in the Twilight Evening of the fourth day Gen. 1. 17. in respect whereof Job doth call them the Stars of the Twilight Job 3. 9. But the Seventy Translators call them the Stars of the night because they held Jobs Twilight to be a true part of the night And Solomon doth likewise make the Twilight of the Evening to be a terme synonimous with Darknesse and with the night Prov. 7. 9. And Aben Ezra on Exod. 1â— 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 For the further proof of this I refer you to Chapter 4. To my Answer to the second Objection But I will hereunto adde the description of a compleat night which may further enlighten this truth A compleat night is the absâ—nce of the Suns shining for the space of twelve hours A compleat night is the absence of the Suns shining from off the face of the earth for the space of twelve houres when the Sun is in the Equinoctial as the dayes were in the first Creation This description of the Night agrees with the testimony of Aben Ezra immediately cited Object Why doe you set out the shape and form of the first Artificial day by the shining of the Sunne and of the Night by the absence of the Suns shining Seeing the Sunne was not created till the fourth day It is likely that the light that was created the first day did not then rule the day after the same manner as the Sun did on the fourth day Ans Though there was no Sun-shine in the first day yet doubtlesse instead thereof the God of Nature and the God of Order did cause a certaine light to shine out of darknesse from the Element of Fire in the selfe same manner and order as he caused the Light to doe on the Fourth Day At the first the general matter of the Globe called Earth was without form Gen. 1. 2. because it was voyd of all ornaments for a time in like sort the first Darknesse was at the first a confused thing and without any shape or form of a night for a time but after the space of five or six houres God said Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. It were too grosse blindnesse to think that God did cause this Light to breake out of darknesse all on a sudden like a flash of Lightning no God was now framing the First Day to be a Patterne and Sampler to all the rest and therefore the God of Nature and the God of Order did cause the Light to breake out of Darknesse by degrees in the same order and manner as he caused the Sunne to doe on the Fourth Day and so by this meanes the God of Nature did first create a Twilight to the first Darknesse before he caused the light to shine out upon the face of the Earth as he did by the Sunne on the Fourth day then also he caused the Light to ascend by degrees until it came to its height at mid-day and then he caused it to decline by degrees until it went off from that Horizon as the Sunne doth now and so by this meanes the Artificial Day was compleatly shaped and formed before the whole Night could be shaped and formed But secondly When the Artificial Day was thus formed by the shining of the Light twelve houres then there succeeded another Twilight and twelve houres Darknesse more then the first Darknesse the first halfe of that twelve
houres darknesse made up the first darknesse a compleat night of twelve houres with a double Twilight and so it became a true patterne and sampler to all other Creation Nights and then the last halfe of the said twelve houres darknesse went on towards the beginning of the Second Day And except this order be observed there cannot be found out a double Twilight to make the first Night a compleat patterne for all the other Creation nights Reason II. It is evident that the first Darknesse was not a compleat night by the order of that Dominion which God established for the ruling of the Artificial Day by the Sun before he gave Dominion to the Moon and to the Starres to rule the night But if the first Darknesse had been a full night before the Artificial day had received its shape and form then the Moon and Stars should have had their dominion before the Sun for doubtlesse the God of order would place them in their dominion in the day of their creation according to that priority of order which the day had of the night or the night had of the day Gen. 1. 14. 19. If the night of the fourth day had been first in order before the Artificial day then the Moon and the Stars should have had the priority of their dominion to rule the night of the fourth day before the Sun could have had its dominion to rule the artificial day and so by this account the Sun shall borrow its light from the Moon as the chiefest in the dominion of the fourth day Is not this to make the God of order to be the God of confusion in setting the Cart before the Horse by giving the first dominion to the Moon and the last dominion to the Sun as they do that make the first darknesse to be a compleat night Or else if you think to avoid this Rock by saying that the Sun only was created on the fourth day to rule the artificiall day and that the Moon and the Stars were not created and set into their rule and dominion till the fifth night is not this to run against the plain Text. For my part I shall think him a good Logician that holds the first darknesse to be a compleat night that can fairly get out of this Dilemma Reason III. If the first darknesse had been formed into a compleat night before the light was formed into a compleat artificiall day Then doubtlesse Moses would have called it Night as the proper name of its perfect shape and form before he called the light Day for it was Gods usuall custome to give names to things in the same priority of order as they had priority of form and shape As for example As soon as he had made man of the earth he called him Adam and as soon as he had made woman of his Rib he bid Adam name her and as soon as he had formed other creatures he brought them to Adam bid him name them with names defining their natures so doubtless if the first darknes had been first form'd into a compleat night he would have named it night in the first place but he called it nothing else but Darknesse at first saying the darknesse was namely it was a mis-shapen and uncreated thing But as soon as he had put a shape and limited it by a double Twilight he called it night as the name of its perfect form and shape But it could not receive this shape and form untill the light was first shaped and formed into an artificial day by its orderly shining upon the face of the earth for twelve hours together and then he called it day as the proper name of its perfect shape and form Hence we may cleerly perceive That Moses in Gen. 1. 5. doth name all the parts of the first natural day in their true priority of order as they were shaped and formed 1 Day 2 Night 3 Evening 4 Morning And secondly hence it follows that the first formed part of the naturall day was the artificiall day and not the night CHAP. II. Proving that Moses by the terme Evening in Gen. 1. 5. doth not mean the whole night But the latter halfe of the artificial day and the first halfe of the night LEarned Mr. Richardson saith That these two words Evening and Morning do set our Divines to School to finde out what is meant by them in the first Creation Most Interpreters say that the two Hebrew words Gnereb and Boker which we translate Evening and Morning in Gen. 1. 5. doe mean nothing else but night and day But I must crave leave to differ from them in judgement for these two Reasons Reason I. If Moses had called the first darknesse Evening and the artificiall day Morning Then in reason he would have placed the said termes in the same methodicall order in the end of the verse as he had done in the beginning of the said verse but he doth place them in a contrary order for in the beginning of the verse he names the Day before the Night but in the end of the verse he names the Evening before the Morning and what else doth this argue but that he did thereby intend that Gods people should take notice that the Evening and the morning were a differing division of the natural day from the division of Day and Night Reason II. If Moses had intended to call the first darknesse Evening as synonimous to the terme Night then doubtlesse some Scripture or other would have shewed them to be synonima seeing the said termes are so often repeated in the Bible But though I have made diligent search yet I cannot finde where the â—â—rm Morning is made synonimous to the ful artificial day nor where the term Evening is made synonimous to the whole night in a proper sense Therefore seeing they are no where synonima it is altogether unlike that Moses doth make them synonima in Gen. 1. 5. and no where else Object Why might not the first Darknesse be a full Evening and so a full night of twelve hâ—ures though it wanted a Twilight in the beginning of it might not God dispense with the Twilight in the first â—ighâ— Ans Why do you go about to make the most wise Creator and Governour of all things to be an imperfect Artist in his first pattern for if you make the first Night to want a Twilight in the beginning of it do you not thereby make him an imperfect Artist in his first pattern to the other creation dayes for it is manifest that the shape and form of the first creation day was a true pattern by which the rest were shaped and formed for as the text expresseth it in verse 5. so was the Morning and so was the Evening the first day so in like sort it is said of the second day in verse 8. and so it is said of the third day in verse 13. and so it is said of the fourth day in verse 19. and so
upon all this shining light from the East point to the West point the name Day as the proper name of his perfect shape and limit and in this order was the first Artificiall Day shaped out limited and named 7. Then shadow out a little peece of Twilight at the departure of the light out of that Horizon on the inside of the West point 8. Then take twelve hours darknesse and shadow out the first half of that Darknesse from the West point untill it meet with the place of the first darknesse at the North point 9. Then write upon all that Darknesse from the West point to the East point the name Night as the proper name of its perfect shape and limit and in this order was the night last shaped out limited and named Then let the other half of the last twelve hours Darknesse be set upon the out-side of the same Compasse Diall from the North point to the East point for the beginning of the second Day 10 Hence we may observe the Reason why the first Darknes could not be called Night at first namely because it wanted the form and limits of a Night for it wanted the shape of a twilight going before it and therefore until it had obtained that it was callâ—d nothing else but confuâ—ed darknes and it could not have this form til the last period of time belonging to the night was finished and it could not have that period till the first half of that twelve houres darknesse succeeding the Artificial Day had met with the first darknesse at the North point and that conjunction occasioned a mark of distinction in the middle of the night 11. By these marks of distinction the true Form and Figure of the two Lines of Longitude and Latitude from East to West and from North to South were clearly marked out 12. By this Line of division from Mid-day to Mid-night the Natural Day was again divided into two equal parts in a differing manner from the division of the Day from the Night the first half from Mid-day to Mid-night was called Gnereb the Evening and the other half from Mid-night to Mid-day was called Boker the Morning 13. After this sort hath the God of Nature halsed and quartered the Natural day by the Lines of Longitude and Latitude 14 By this method the God of Nature hath not only made the natural day to be a twiparty day consisting of light and darkness But also Secondly He hath made the Artificial Day to be a twiparty day because he hath made the one half of it to belong unto the Morning and the other half of it to belong unto the Evening Thirdly He hath also made the Night to be a twiparty Night because he hath made the one half of it to belong unto the Evening and the other half of it to belong unto the morning And in this regard the night is sometimes called nights in the plural number Psal 134. 1. Psal 92. 2. Fourthly He hath also made the Natural Evening to be a twiparty evening because it is a connexion of the latter half of the Day to the first half of the Night and in this respect it is called Gnereb a connexion and sometimes it is called Gnarbaiim the two Evenings because of the two parts of it Fifthly He hath also made the Natural Morning to be a twiparty Morning because it is a connexion of the first darknesse or of the latter half of the night with the first half of the Artificial day and in this respect it is often called Mornings in the plural number Psal 73. 14. Psal 101. 8. Job 7. 18. Lam. 3. 23. Is 33. 2. 15. The Reason why the first darknesse could not be called either Boker the Morning or Gnereb the Evening at first was because these names are names of the perfect shape and limits given unto these two parts of the Natural day and the first darknesse was a confused mis-shapen thing at first therefore it could not belong either unto the Morning or unto the Evening until it was first shaped and limited into a night for Boker the Morning is constituted of a part of the shaped Night as well as of a part of the shaped Artificial Day and the first darknesse could not be shaped into a Night until it had twelve houres darknesse succeeding the Artificial Day by means whereof the first half had a Twilight going before it and then as soon as it met with the first darknesse at the North point it First gave perfection of shape to the Night And Secondly It gave perfection of shape to the Evening And thirdly It gave perfection of shape to Boker the Morning And accordingly every part of this day had its name as soon as it had its perfect shape as for example when the shining light had finished its last period at the West point it was called Day in like sort when the darknesse had finished its last period at the North point it was called Night And then also the Evening and the Morning was the First Day Pharez and Zara were Twins and when they came to their Birth Zara thrust out his hand first thereupon the Midwife said this is first and she did mark it out for the first by a red thred yet notwithstanding Pharez did finish his Birth first and thereupon he was first named Pharez and Zara was last named though he begun his Birth first Even so the time called Morning began its birth first but yet notwithstanding the time called Evening was first perfected in its shape and limits and thereupon it was first called Gnereb O the wonderfull variety of Gods wisdom in contriving and setting together all the parts and parcels of this first Natural Day CHAP. III. Proving that the time of the first Darkness was called Morning at last namely as soon as that Darkness was formed into a Night MOses doth tell us Gen. 1. 1 2. That in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and that darkness was upon the face of the deep namely for the space of six hours before the light was created The Queston is Whether this first Darkness was called Morning or Evening The Answer shall be framed into three Heads or Sections I. I will prove that the Creation began in that part of time which at last was called Boker the Morning II. That the Morning begins in the dark Night III. That the Morning doth begin at Mid-night SECT I. Proving that the time of the first Darkness was called Boker the Morning at last FIrst It appears to me that the first Darkness was called Boker Boker the morning dâ—th signifie early the Morning at last namely as soon as all the parts of the Natural Day were formed Because Boker the Morning doth signifie Early See Ains in Psal 5. 4. and in this sense the Morning is put for the first opportunity of time for any business as in seeking unto God early by prayer and in this sense David saith
in Psa 5. 3. Jehovah in the morning or early I will direct my prayer unto thee and will look out or espie as he that keepeth watch and ward expecting what God will answer and the godly do often professe that they will look out early after God by the term Morning as in Psal 90. 14. and Psal 143. 8. and truly I conceive that the onely Reason why Buls and Cows And all the Herds of that kind are called Baker from whence Boker is derived is from their early seeking out for their meat from God sooner than other Cattle use to do for in the Evening or in the beginning of the Night they use to sit down and chew their Cud but in the early Night-morning they usually rise up and seek out for food before other sorts of Cattle Object 1. Boker the Morning is put for the beginning of the Artificiall Day because that is the fittest season to seek out or earâ—h after things that be lost or after things that are to be sought after men do not usually seek after things in the dark but as soon as the morning light appears then they begin to look and search after lost things and hence the beginning of the Artificiall Day is called Boker the Morning Answ I see no Reason to restrain the signification of Boker to mans seeking by the sight of his eyes in the time of the Artificial Morning onely but considering that Boker the Morning is placed among the works of Gods Creation before man was created it may be considered as Gods first early time in ordering the Creation in the best manner for God may be said to seek early after the manner of men not for want of knowledge in particulars but to set out his Wisdom and Prudence and Fatherly care and the like in the first Creation as these Scriptures do testifie Exod. 14. 24 27. Ezek. 34. 11 12 16. Psa 30. 6. Psa 90. 14. Isa 17. 14. Psal â—19 176. Zach. 12. 9. For by Wisdom the Lord founded the Earth and by Vnderstanding he established the Heavens â—rov 3. 19. and so by Wisdom and Understanding he formed all the parts of the First Day in such an exquisite Oâ—der that so it might be for an exemplary pattern to all the other Natural daies to the end of the world Secondly Early seeking may be done by advice counsel and meditation as well in the time of darknesse as in the morning light Thirdly When it pleased the Lord to uncreat Judab by his destroying Judgements namely by wars from the Enemy how did God order it to be done but by his early looking out and searching into things For thus saith the Lord I looked upon the Earth and loe it was without form and void and to the Heavens and they had no light Jer. 4. 23. for by their wicked confused Government they had provoked the Lord by wars to turn all their Commonwealth into a Chaos again This form of speech by contraries declares that God by his wise Providence did search out in the time of the first darkness how to adorn the earth with light and how to order all the parts of the first day in the best manner and in this respect Gods early Providence is often set out by the term Morning both in regard of his early Judgements upon a people and also in regard Boker the Morning is put for Gods early seeking either to punish the wicked or protects the godly of his early Preservation of his own people 1. His early and speedy Judgements upon the wicked are set out by the term Morning in Num. 16. 5. Zeph. 3. 5. Psal 73. 14 Ezek. 7. 7 10. and so in Hos 10. 15. In the morning shal the King of Israel be destroyed and in this sense I shall presently expound Isa 47. 11. 2. The term Morning doth often denote Gods early care and Providence in looking out for the Protection of his people Exod. 14. 24. Psal 46. 7. Hence I infer that seeing the word Morning doth signifie early seeking or early looking out it may well denote unto us that the first Darkness was not comprehended under the term Evening but under the term Morning for Gnereb the Evening is never put for early or first but it is always put for late or last because it was the latter part of the Day as I have shewed in my Answer to the third Objection of the former Chapter and more by and by Secondly It is further evident that the Morning time was first As Gnereb the Evening is put for last time So Boker the Morning is put for the first time or for the beginning of a thing and the Evening last by Gen. 49. 27. Benjamin shall ravine like a Woolf in the Morning he shall devour the prey and in the Evening he shall divide the spoile The Seventy render it The early Morning and truly seeing the first Darkness had the priority of time before the Artificial Morning it is not proper to put the Artificial Morning for first in preheminence of time before the first Darkness and therefore in reason the first Darkness must belong to the early Morning as well as the first half of the Artificial Day doth or else Jacob did not make a proper Allusion to the Morning and to the Evening if the first Darkness had been Evening for then the evening had been first in order of time search into the story of Events and see how Jacobs Prophecie doth relate to the term Morning and Evening the event of his Prophecie lyes thus 1. Ehud of Benjamin was raised up by God like a Woolf in the early morning to devour the Moabites and to deliver Israel Judg. 3. 15. Then God did also raise up Hester and Mâ—â—decai or Benjamin like a Wâ—olf as it were in the Artificial Morning to deliver the Jews and to devour Haâ—nan and all his Confederates in a hundred twenty seven Provinces Hest 8. and Hest 9. 2. In the Evening-time of the world God raised up Paul of Benjamin to divide the spoil with the other Apostles by the preaching of the Gospel for Paul is said to make the Word of God to abound from Jerusalem to Illyricum Rom. 15. 19. and it is further evident that the daies of the Gospel are called the Evening by Zeph. 2. 7. the Prophet doth there foretel that there shall be a remnant of the Jews namely of the dispersed Jews dwelling in several Countries that shall be called to rest or lie down in the Evening and to this remnant of dispersed Jewes did Peter and James write in the Evening-time of the Gospel to exhort them to rest and repose their Souls in Christ for Life and Salvation Zachary also doth use the term Evening for the last times namely for the daies of the Gospel and in that respect the time of the Gospel is often called the last dayes Isa 2. 2. Jer. 30. 24. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 20. Zacharies phrase runs thus In the
Evening time it shall be light Zach. 14. 7. It is very suitable to compare the last daies of the Gospel to the Evening because it is the last half of the Natural Day and it is most suitable also to compare the light of the Gospel to the light of the Evening for the Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun and then the day is most clear and bright and so it continues till almost Sun-set and in the last days when the Apostles had a Commission to preach the Gospel in all the world the Gospel gave a light most clear to many souls that sat in darkness But if the Evening had been no other time but the dark Night as the most would have it then Zacharies Allusion to the light of that Evening had been but a poor comparison to set forth the light of the Gospel for in such an Evening there is no other light but Star-light or Moon-light at the best and that is but a poor light to illustrate the light of the Gospel by in the days of the Apostles Thirdly As the Evening is often put for last so the Morning is put for first in Dan. 9. 21. The man Gabriel whom I had seen in a vision at First or in the Morning so the Hebrew speaks Fourthly It is evident by another Allusion that the Morning is before the Evening because the term Morning is put for the very first beginning of a thing and in this sense Isaiah is most elegant Isa 47. 11. Evill shall come upon thee O Babylon and thou shalt not know the morning thereof or the beginning thereof The Hebrew word signifies the early Morning but the Geneva doth render it the Beginning and by this phrase the Holy Ghost did by a Periphrasis describe the beginning of Babylons ruin by the early Morning Object 2. Good Divines do take the term Morning here for the beginning of the Artificial Day and the word Morning in that sense doth not hinder but that the first Darkness was Evening Answ I have already answered this Objection immediately before I told you there that if the first Darkness had been called Evening then doubtless the Evening would have been put for the first beginning of any thinâ— and the Morning for last but because the Morning is put for the first beginning of a thing therefore it is out of all doubt to me that the first Darkness did belong to the Morning and not to the Evening 2. I answer further that the Morning of Babylons fall cannot be so conveniently compared to the Morning of the Artificial day as to the dark early morning because the Artificial Morning is apparent and perspicuous to all men But the ruin of Babylon was not perspicuous at first but it was carryed on in a speedy and obscure manner by the Persians so that the Babylonians had no suspition or discerning of their fall as yet therefore the Morning of the Artificial Day was not so suitable to exemplifie the manner of their speedy ruin as the early dark Morning was for it was done speedily ere they were aware Jer. 50. 24. as it appears by these two considerations 1. Isay did foretel that Babylon should be destroyed in the Night Isa 21. 4. 2. Isay did foretel that Babylon should be destroyed in the early Morning Isa 47. 11. Put both these Prophetical allusions together and then they wil amount to thus much that Babylon should be destroyed in that Morning that begins in the Night and the History of Events doth tell us not onely that Belshazzer was slain in the Night Dan. 5. 30. but also it is apparent by the circumstances of time that must be spent at that drunken feast before that Daniel could be sought out and brought in to interpret the vision that it was in the latter part of the Night after the Morning was begun Take the early Morning of Babylons fall either in the former figurative sense or in the last proper sense either way or both wayes and it doth sufficiently prove that the time called Morning was first in order before the time called Evening or else this Allusion of Babylons fall to the early Morning had been improper hence it follows that the first Darkness was comprehended under the term Morning and not under the term Evening Fifthly Boker the morning is put for the first beginning of a Fifthly Boker the morning is put for the Sun-set Evening because the time of Sun-set is the first beginning of the Jews day of cleannesses thing because it is put for the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day or for the Sun-set Evening as the Hebrew Doctors do witness See Ains in Deut. 16. 4. This I have further opened in another place and so in like sort Macar the morrow is put for the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day or for the Sun-set Evening in 1 Sam. 30. 17. and in Lev. 23. 15. as it is further opened in chap. 4. Sixthly It is evident that the morning was before the time called Evening by the title that Job gives to the Angels he cals them Morning-Stars Job 38. 6 7. These Morning-Stars cannot be meant of the Stars in the Firmament for they were not created till the fourth day Gen. 1. 14. But these Morning-Stars are said to shout and sing when the foundation of the earth was laid Hence it follows that the Angels are called Morning-Stars either because of the time wherein they shouted at the first laying of the foundations of the earth which was done in the time of the first darkness or else in relation to the time of their Creation which was also done in the time of the first darkness as many learned do accord But if the time of their Creation or the time wherein they shouted at the laying of the foundations of the earth had been Evening then the Angels should more properly have been called Evening-Stars than Morning-Stars Object 3. The Angels are called Morning-Stars not in relation to the time of their Creation but by way of allusion to the excellency of their Nature and this is more suitable to be expressed by the light of the Artificial morning than by the first darkness Answ If the Circumstances of Gods discourse with Job and of Gods Interrogations be well marked there is no ground to say that God did onely intend to set out the excellent nature of the Angels by comparing them to the morning of the Artificiall day For the main thing that God aimed at by his Interrogations to Job was to make him see his folly in desiring to dispute the cause of his afflictions with God God shews him that he is not able to find out the depths of his Wisdom in the first laying of the foundation of the earth because it made the Angels to shout out with admiration and therefore Job was much less able to search out the reason of his dealings with him in his present afflictions and in that
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 Câ—ron 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 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 theâ—r 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 when the said Festival Sabbath did begin to lighten Luk. 23. 54 The time of Christs burial was at Star-light 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. 63. Ans Ignorance of the Iâ—wish 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 dâ—filements or else it was their preparation of holy flesh by offering sacrifices c. But Matthews meaning lyes fair and round thus The next day aâ—ter 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 afâ—er 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 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. Ans Boker the morning in Deu. 16. 4. must not be taken in a Boker the mornâ—ng is put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day at Sun-set 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 therfore 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
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. 3. That the Sun-set evening is truly come as soon as ever the Body of the Sun is gone out of sight 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 hiâ— 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 the matter out of doubt that the burial of Christ could not be finished till it was Sar-light 1 Consider the time when Joseph went to Pilate to begge the Body and that was not till the Sun-set evening was come Mat. 27. 57. Mar. 15. 42. This evening that was now come cannot be understood of the first evening for that was come at Mid-day and Christ was then alive therefore it must be understood of the latter evening which was not come till Sun-set Obj. 2. But Mr. Norton objecteth against this Translation and In his Treatise of Christs Sufferings saith that it is not true that Joseph came not to begge the Body of Christ untill Sun-set but Joseph saith he came as the evening was coming as the Greek hath it therefore before it was actually come and besides saith he he could not otherwise have taken down the Body and buried it the same day according to the Law Deut. 21. 23. which John testifieth they were carefull and mindfull of Joh. 19. 31. Ans As touching the translation of the Greek in Matthew and Mark I have searched into sundry Translations and all that I can yet meet withall have it When the evening was come I have also conferred with some that are learned in the Tongues and they say it is but a harsh translation to render it When the evening was coming and Tindall doth both translate and expound Mar 15. 42 thus When night was come because it was the evening that goeth before the Sabbath But what if the Greek doth signifie no more but as Master Norton saith when the evening was coming yet that translation makes the difference of time so small that it is not worth the speaking of for in the like case Mark saith That at the evening when the Sun was set the Jews brought their diseased persons to Christ to be cured Mark 1. 32. but Luke saith It was when the Sun was setting Luk. 4. 40. that is to say when the evening was coming for in proper speech the latter evening cannot be said to be coming till the Sun be setting And secondly It seems to me that Joseph of Arimathea durst not go to Pilate to beg the dead Body before Sun-set for fear of the displeasure of the High Priests and therefore he delayed his going to Pilate untill the High Priests had first gone and besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and that they might bee taken down because it was the time of their preparation to their High Festival Sabbath-Supper for Joseph knew that the High Priests were desirous that Christ should hang upon the Crosse for his greater ignominy as long as other cursed Malefactors used to do and that was untill the Sun was set and in this sense Joshua did understand the Law to mean namely that they might Deut. 21. 23. hang upon the Tree after the night was begun which was begun at Sun-set and therefore he did not command the dead Bodies of the cursed Kings to be taken down from the Tree untill the Sun was down Jos 8. 29. I grant that formerly I have expounded this clause in Deut. 21. 23. Thou shalt not let his Carkasse hang all night upon the tree to mean not at all in the night but since then I finde upon better examination that I was in an error though Master Norton takes it for a truth and so in like sort he takes some plain truths for great errors but this sentence they shal not hang all night implies that they may hang some part of the night upon the tree provided they were buried the same day namely in the same Natural day which lasted after Sun-set untill Mid-night
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 wife 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 Ezâ—kiel 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 foretold 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 Bâ—sides 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-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 aâ—â—he 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 Resucrection 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 â—s as a special testimony of the time of his Resurrection In like â—t that place only where the Apostles were when they were thrâ—atned 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 If this Treatise may be of any use to satisfie a doubting conscience touching the time of Christs Burial and Resurrection and touching the limits of the Lords day Give glory to God who giâ—â— gifts to men for that purpose Even so AMEN FINIS