that act command man to sanctifie such persons to the Lord Every first-born of the Sons of Israel saith the Lord are mine both of Man and Beast for in the day that I smote every first-born in the Land of Egypt I sanctified them unto me Numb 8. 17. that is I commanded my people to sanctifie them to my service which they did perform First By setting apart some of the clean kind for Sacrifice And secondly by redeeming the rest with money which money God commanded to be imployed to his service either by buying some Sacrifices of Attonement therewith for the publick or else it must be for the repairing of Gods Sanctuary as Exod. 13. doth explain it 2 When God did sanctifie the Temple for the publick place of his Typical worship 2 Chr. 7. 16. 2 Chr. 30. 8. he did thereby command man to sanctifie it by performing every particular just as he commanded Solomon might not build the Temple after the fashion that he thought best but he must do it in all particulars as God commanded 1 King 9. 3. God did not leave any sanctified thing that did any way appertain either to the service of the Tabernacle or of the Temple neither to Moses discretion nor to Solomons wisdome but when God sanctified these places for his worship he commanded how and after what manner Heb 9. 19. 21. every thing should be done Ex. 25. 8 9 10. Exod. 39 42 43. Heb. 9. 19 21. 3 When God sanctâ—fied Cities of Refuge he did thereby command his people to sanctâ—fie them it is said that they sanctified Kedesh in Galilee for a place of refuge Jos 20. 7. they did sanctifie it because God had commanded them to sanctifie it Deut. 19. 2. they might not sanctifie any City but by vertue of Gods command as it is expressed in Num. 35. 6 11. 4 When God sanctified Festival dayes or Festival Sabbaths he did thereby command the Sons of Israel to sanctifie them Lev. 23. and Jeroboam is branded as a wicked opposer of Gods sanctified Sabbaths because he commanded a standing Holy-day to the Lord of his own head 1 King 12. 32 33. From these and such like examples it follows that when God sanctified the seventh day he commanded Adam and Eve to sanctifie the seventh day in the use of such Ordinances as he was pleased to blesse the seventh day withall Jesus Christ did not leave the sanctifying of the seventh day to Adams discretion in an arbitrary way how much time he would set apart for Gods service but by sanctifying the seventh day God commanded Adam to set apart the whole day for his service in such publick and private duties he had blessed the Sabbath withall 2 The word Sanctified implies another command to faln When God sanctified the seventh day he did thereby command Adam to prepare himself for the better sanctifying of the seventh day Joel 2. 15. Adam namely to prepare himself to the sanctification of the Sabbath First By an outward And secondly By an inward preparation Sanctifie a Fast call a solemn Assembly Joel 1. 14. that is to say Prepare your selves to meet me in a day of publick Fasting as it is explained in Joel 2. 15. Blow the Trumpet in Zion Sanctifie a Fast Call a solemn Assembly that is to say Warn the people by a Trumpet to prepare themselves to sanctifie a Fast Joels three terms in vers 5. are all Synonima and do all imply that Gods people must prepare themselves for a day of Fasting First Outwardly by sanctifying or washing their bodies and garments And secondly Inwardly by true humiliation of soul and in this sense also God commanded Joshua to sanctifie the people against they came into his presence on the morrow Jos 7. 13. Now all that Joshua did to sanctifie the people was no more but to warn them by a Proclamation through the Camp which usually was attended with the sound of a Trumpet saying Sanctifie your selves it is as much as if he had said God hath commanded you to sanctifie your selves First Outwardly by washing And secondly by inward repentance against you come into his presence on the morrow So when God commanded Moses to sanctifie the people to hear the Law delivered at Mount Sinai Moses did no otherwise sanctifie them but by commanding the people to prepare themselves in a sanctifiâ—d manner First By inward fear and reverence And secondly by outward washing and by abstinence from their wives two dayes together for their more reverent attention of Gods Law Exod. 19. 10. Jos 3. 5. Exod. 3. 5. 1 Sam. 16. 5. Num. 11. 18. Exod. 19. 10. Jer 6 4. So in like sort when God said Sanctifie War it is a command to prepare for War Jer. 6. 4. Jer. 51. 28. From these and such like instances it follows That when God sanctified the first seventh day he commanded Adam and Eve for the more solemnity to prepare themselves for the sanctifying of the seventh day God having made a promise to them in the end of the sixth day that the Seed of the Woman should break the head of the Serpent he sanctified the next day for a Sabbath of rest because he had blessed it with Ordinances and thereby he did command Adam and Eve to prepare themselves against they came into his holy presence on the morrow for sin had defiled them and therefore they needed to prepare themselves not onely by outward washing but also inwardly by true repentance Act. 22. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Es 29. 23. or else instead of receiving good by that blessing wherewith God had blessed the seventh day they might expect a curse at least an outward curse upon their bodies as it fell out upon Aarons Sons when they did not sanctifie the Lord in his worship according to his command the Lord struck them with present death saying I will be sanctified in all that come neer me Lev. 10. 3. and when some of Ephraim and Manasses did come to the sanctified Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah God was displeased with them because they had not prepared themselves thereto according to the sanctified or commanded preparation of the Sanctuary but Hezekiah prayed for them and the Lord heard him and healed the people 2 Chr. 30 18 19 20. 2 I will speak a little more of the word Sanctified as it implies a command to fallen man to prepare himself to sanctify the seventh day for all sanctified things must be remembred by way of preparation before hand that so they may be done in due time and order or else God that is jealous of his sanctified things will be displeased And therefore one Reason why the word Remember was after added to the fourth Commadement was not to adde a new sense to that Command more than it had to Adam under the word Sanctified but to increase the charge of preparation with more vehemency which at the first was couched under the word Sanctified for now the people of God had forgotten the
refused to attend upon Adam and Eve into Paradise and for that disobedience God deprived them of their pure qualities and so they became dead in corrupt and sinfull qualities and ever since they have continued to be an envious company against the good of man But it seems there was diversity of judgement among them touching that service in attending upon our first parents for there were many legions of those Angels that despised man in comparison of themselves because God did not support them by his assisting grace and there were many legions that continued to do service to them because God did support them in their obedience by his assisting grace but the millions of them that fell for refusing to serve man did without delay conspire together in one Head-plot as soon as ever they were fallen to destroy mankind and in that respect they are collectively called Sathan the Adversary by which name it is evident that from the very first they were adverse to serve man Our minds saith Mr. Bro. in Req of Consent pag. 75. cannot once think of any other subject in God who dwelleth in terrible light against which the Devill durst spurn neither dealeth he but to hurt man as still shewing that from hatred to man was his Fall Envy saith Lanquet came first of Sathan for envying the felicity of man whom God had created and set in Paradise he changed himself into an Angel of light abusing the wisdome of the Serpent to deceive man See Marbek's Common-places pag. 339. At the creation of the woman which was the last particular kind of all Gods creation the Angels were not fallen for at the end of Gods visible creation on the sixth day It is said That God saw all that he had made and loe it was very good Gen. 1. 31. From this Text it may certainly be gathered that no creature was yet become bad and therefore that the Angels were not fallen when the woman was created but their fall was presently after the woman was created and given in mariage to Adam all which was done without the borders of Paradise but then God intending to bring them into Paradise all creatures whom Adam had named as their Lord were to attend upon him and then God gave his Angels charge also to atend upon them as I have formerly noted it to be a chief part of their office from Heb. 1. 14. because God intended to dignifie mans nature not onely above all his visible creatures but even above Angels also Heb. 2. 10. But the Angels not knowing Gods eternal Counsel concerning mans dignity which should be so much advanced through Christ dis-esteemed man as being made but of the basest element in comparison of themselves that were spirits invisible and of a heavenly nature and in that respect they refused to obey Gods positive command in refusing to attend upon Adam and then as many of them as refused that service and station in which God had set them were by Gods justice deprived of their moral perfections and are ever since become an envious company to mans good No other time I think can be found for the time of the Angels fall but this as I have formerly noted And therefore as soon as God had brought Adam and Eve into Paradise and all creatures both visible and invisible to attend him then that number of the Angels that fell for refusing to serve man took speciall notice of Gods Command and Covenant with Adam concerning the two Trees and concerning the condition of his nature The true nature of the first Convenant stood in obedience or in disobedience to a positive and not to a moral command See Bucan in his 10 Com. place and in his 15. Com. pl. what it was and what it should be in case he did first eat of the Tree of life or what it should be in case he did first eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill namely that his nature should be confirmed in his created perfections for ever in case he did first eat of the Tree of life but in case he did first eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill then his nature should dye the death that is to say he should be deprived of his natural perfections wherein he was created Adams Righteousnesse saith Bucanus was the Righteousnesse of mans nature and not the Righteousnesse of a private person If Adam saith he had stood in his original Righteousnesse it had been derived to all his posterity and saith he in his fifteenth Common place Adams Righteousnesse was not so much personal and proper to him as natural namely as it was common to all mens nature which were originally and naturally in the loyns of Adam and therefore truly original and so consequently in case of disobedience he should lose his original righteousnesse namely his natural perfections and instead of it should be possessed with a corrupt and sinful nature to all posterity I say the fallen Angels did take special notice of the true nature of this first Covenant with Adam and therefore without delay they did presently joyn together in one head or head-plot to beguile the woman by inticing her to eat of the forbidden fruit before she might have the opportunity to eat first of the tree of life and the better to effect this head-plot of theirs they did first reason with God against the nature of Adam as they did afterwards against Job saying That his nature was not more perfect than theirs was by creation and therefore that Adam would disobey Gods positive command as they had done if they might have but leave to try him Now God being a cunning and compleat Work-man would not be out-bidden by Sathans brags and therefore he gave Sathan leave to do his worst as he did afterwards give him leave to do his worst to Christ for he knew that if his workmanship should fail upon the triall he could tell how to mend it and how to make it better able to indure the triall for time to come 4 This Adverb Now in Gen. 3. 1. hath relation to the time when the devil did first enter into the body of the subtill Serpent and that was now presently without any delay and therefore though this Serpent was but a brute creature without any naturall power to speak discourse and reason with an intelligible voyce about what was good or evill yet the devill had received such a power and commission from God that he did make this Serpent to be his lively oracle as the Angel made Balaams Asse to be his and therefore in as much as the Serpent did speak and discourse with Eve it is an infallible proof that God had given the devill leave to tempt and to try Adams obedience to the first positive Covenant by any sleight he could devise as he did after give the devill the like leave to tempt Christ for forty dayes together and therefore the devils head-plot was now instantly put in
Christ Jesus did kindle Adams sacrifice at first with fire from heaven for he did usually kindle the sacrifices of the Fathers with fire from Heaven as a sign and token to them that his death was a propitiatory sacrifice of Attonement and that their persons were thereby received into full favour Lev. 9. 23. Judg. 13. 19 20 23. 1 King 18. 38 39. 2 Chron. 7. 1 2 3. Psal 20. 3. And doubtlesse Christ Jesus told Adam that this fire from heaven did represent his Eternal Spirit by which his humane nature should one day be offered up unto God without spot as a propitiatory sacrifice for his eternal Redemption Hâ—â— 9 14. But afterwards when Cain came to offer his sacrifice upon the same Altar Christ Jesus did not kindle his sacrifice from heaven as he kindled Adams and Abels sacrifice and by that Cain knew that God did not accept his person as he did his brother Abel and thereupon he hated his brother Abel because his works were good and his own evill for Cain wanted faith in the Seed of the woman which was promised to break the Devils Head-plot by his propitiatory sacrifice which was taught and typified by sacrifices This mystery God kept secret in types from such as wanted faith even from the beginning of the world Rom. 16. 25. and therefore it was kept secret from the Heathen Nations But in the fulnesse of time Christ Jesus sent his Apostles to publish the unsearchable riches of this mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ Eph. 3 8 9. Col. 1. 26. Col. 2. 3. 3 God instructed Adam in sundry other kinds of Ceremonial types that tended to sanctification before he came to present his person and sacrifice before the Lord. As for example Christ Jesus taught him 1 How to purifie his person by washing his body and his garments in clean water just like as he taught Moses afterwards Exod. 3. 5. Exod. 19. 10. or else by changing his soul garments for fair as Jacob being first taught did also teach his hous-hold to do when he went into Gods presence to worship Gen. 35. 2. 2 God instructed Adam how to put a difference between beasts for sacrifice how he should refuse the unclean and offer the clean just as he instructed Noah before he entred into the Ark Gen. 7. 2. It is absurd to think that God did blesse the first Sabbath with differing Ordinances from those in Moses or that God did instruct Adam to worship him in a differing way from that which he did after establish by Moses and the Prophets Doubtlesse therefore when God instructed Adam after what manner he must offer sacrifices of Attonement he also instructed him how to understand and how to open the plain meaning of all and how he should preach it to others and how to pray either by way of confession of his sinfulnesse or petition for some special grace or thanks-giving or singing of Psalms as he did after instruct and appoint by Moses and the Prophets 1 When God appointed sacrifices of Attonement he appointed to joyn preaching therewith sometimes at least and therefore he appointed the Levites to joyn preaching to their sacrifices for they are commanded to teach his judgements unto Jacob and his Law unto Israel Deut. 33. 10. Lev. 10. 11. Mal. 2. 6. 7. 2 When they offered Burnt-offerings Christ Jesus taught them to make Petition and Supplication to the Lord for his favour in Christ 1 Sam. 13. 12. Job 42. 8. Ezra 6 9 10. and doubtlesse Christ Jesus taught Adam to do so for this kind of sacrifice was Job 42. 8. chiefest and it was first in use even from the beginning of the world for Noah did offer his Burnt-offering Gen. 8. 20. and Christ Jesus did appoint it as the first and chief sacrifice in Moses Gen. 8. 20. Lev. 1. 2 3 When they offered Sin-offerings or Trespass-offerings they must lay both their hands with all their might upon the head of their sacrifice and confesse their sin to God over the head of their Sin-offering and their trespasses to God over the head of their Trespass-offering But why must they impose both their hands with all their might upon the head of these Sacrifices The Answer is because by this Imposition they were taught and instructed to rest and repose their souls by a strong faith upon the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ for the full Attonement of all their sins and trespasses of which they made confession as I have opened the point more at large in the Meritorious price of mans See the meritorious price of mans Redemption on Lev. 4. Redemption on Lev. 4. And touching the point of Confession the Hebrew Doctors have a sentence that is worthy of due observation they say That without particular confession of their known sins no Attonement is made for them by their Sin-offerings or by their Trespass-offerings And this is just according to the rule in Prov. 28. 13. He that hides his Prov. 28. 13. sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy and no question but Jesus Christ taught Adam thus to do when he offered his sin or his Trespass-offerings 4 When they offered Peace-offerings they imposed their hands on the head of their Peace-offerings And secondly then they made confession of their peace but especially they blessed God for their peace with God in breaking the devils Head-plot by the Seed of the Woman Lev. 3. With these and such like spiritual Ordinances God did blesse the first seventh day And these blessed Ordinances could not chuse but fill the souls of Adam and Eve with joy unspeakable and glorious causing them to break out into songs of praise as Zachary did Luke 1. 68. saying in effect as he did Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for be hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us c. as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets ever since the world began Luke 1. 69. In these words Luke 1 69 70. Act. 3 21. Zachary doth affirm these two things First That there have been holy Prophets ever since the world began and therefore Adam was a Prophet Secondly That all the Prophets even from the beginning of the world have spoken and rejoyced in this Horn of salvation therefore Adam did speak with joy of heart of this Horn of salvation and made many Psalms of praise for the Seed of the Woman that should break the Serpents head for his Redemption And doubtlesse God made these Ordinances to be a rich blessing to the souls of Adam and Eve for by them they were more fully instructed and confirmed in their blessed condition by the Promised Seed And God is pleased still to blesse his people all the world over by his plain and manifest Ordinances as the Conduit-pipes of his spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Epb. 1.
Seed of the Woman But yet still as the seventh day was the sanctified time of Gods worship so it must still continue for the exercise of those Spiritual Ordinances wherewith God hath blessed the seventh day for the use of all Nations to the end of the world and because there must not be any intermission of the seventh part of time according to the dayes of the week therefore the seventh day could not be changed to any other day than the first day of the week wherein the Seed of the Woman arose from the dead as an absolute Lord and Conqueror of Sathans Head-plot CHAP. XII Shewing how God did make the first seventh day famous by honouring the number Seven ever after with famous respects 1 GOD hath made the first seventh day famous in three regards 1 Because God did blesse it with many Spiritual Ordinances above all the other six dayes for mans best good 2 Because God did sanctifie it as so much time for the solemnity of his publick worship for ever 3 Because God did ordain it as a sanctified type or sign of fallen mans resting on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devils Head-plot II. God doth often use the number seven in an honourable memorial of the first famous seventh day 1 God hath contrived many of the Typical Ceremonies of our Redemption to be numbred by seven in an honourable respect to the first famous seventh day 3 He hath marked out many holy men of speciall note by the number seven in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day 3 He hath framed many parts of the Scripture Chronologie to the number seven in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day 1 I will begin to open the first touching the Typical Ceremonies 1 The typical Ceremonies of our Redemption are often numbred by Seven in an honourable memorial of the first famous seventh day Lev 8. 33. 35. Lev. 29. 30. of our Redemption Seven dayes were appointed for the consecration of the Priests into their Priestly office Exod. 29. 30. in all which seven dayes they must abide at the door of the Tabernacle night and day to keep the watches of the Lord that no defilement might befall them or the Sanctuary Lev. 8. 33 35. And the chief reason why their Consecration must last seven dayes was because the Sabbath which was ordained as a typical sign of our sanctification by Christ might passe over them in that space and therefore the Hebrew Doctors say of this action Great is the Sabbath for the High Priest entreth not upon his service after he is anointed untill the Sabbath do passe over him And also from these seven dayes of their Consecration the Hebrew Doctors did gather That the High Priest must be separated from his house before he might do the service of the day of Attonement seven dayes every yeer See Ains in the said places 2 The Altar was seven times sprinkled with oyl when it was consecrated to be a type of the Mediators anointing When he should make his soul a sacrifice for our sins Lev. 8. 11. Lev. 8. 11. 3 The blood of the Sin-offering which the High Priest offered must be sprinkled seven times before Jehovah for Attonement Lev. 4. 6. And on the day of Attonement he sprinkled the blood Lev. 4. 6. of Attonement seven times before the Mercy-seat Lev. 16. 14. and seven times upon the Altar Lev. 16. 19. This seven-fold Lev. 16. 14. sprinkling of the blood of Attonement did type out the perfect Attonement that the Seed of the Woman should one day make for all the true Israel of God by his propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement and therefore it was offered but once for all because it was perfect at once Heb. 10. 10 12 14. Heb. 10. 10 12 14. 4 The number of seven Sacrifices was often used as a typical number that God did much delight in no doubt in relation to the first famous seventh day As for example When David did fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed Edom they offered seven Bullocks and seven Rams because the Lord inabled the Levites to bear the Ark 1 Chr. 15. 26. And when Hezekiah caused the Levites to cleanse the Temple then he together with the Princes brought seven Bullocks and seven Rams and seven Lambs and seven He-goats for a Sin-offering 2 Chr. 29. 21. In like manner Jobs three friends brought unto Job as the Priest in those dayes seven Bullocks and seven Rams for a Burnt-offering Job 42. 8. Job 42. 8. And in the New Jerusalem the Prince shall offer in the dayes of unleavened-bread seven Bullocks and seven Rams without blemish daily at the time of the seven dayes Ezek. 45. 23. And Balaam in imitation of such customes and in imitation of the first famous seventh day which doubtlesse was famous a long time among the Heathens he caused Balack to build seven Altars and to prepare seven Bullocks Num. 23. 1. 5 In cleansing of Lepers the Priest must sprinkle them seven times with water wherein the blood of the Bird that was slain was mixed Lev. 14. 7. and seven times with oyl before the Lord vers 16. 51. 6 Elisha the Prophet bad Naaman to wash seven times in Jordan and then he should be cleansed of his Leprosie 1 King 5. 10 14. 7 God allotted seven dayes for the time of Purification from sundry kinds of uncleanesse 1 The Woman in child-bed must be seven dayes separated from the company of her husband for a Man-child just as long as she was separated in the time of her menstruousnesse and twice seven dayes for a female Lev. 12. 2. Lev. 15. 19. 2 He that touched a dead man must be unclean seven dayes before he could be purified 8 God ordained every seventh yeer to be a Sabbath of Rest in the land of Canaan after that Joshua had given the people rest in the seventh year of his reign and when seven times seven yeers were compleat then began the Jubilee with the fiftieth yeer Lev. 25. 4 8. 20. 9. The Lord ordained seven sorts of Festivial Sabbaths besides the seventh day as they may be counted in Lev 23. and the Feast of Unleavened bread was a Feast of seven dayes and the seventh month was famous above other months because it had most Festival Sabbaths in it and in the seventh month Solomon kept the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple seven dayes and seven dayes 1 King 8. 2. 65. and Hezekiah took order because of the general uncleannesse of the Priests and of the greater number of the people in the first month that the Feast of Unleavened-bread should be put off unto the fourteenth day of the second month and then after they had kept the Feast seven dayes the whole assembly took counsel to keep it other seven dayes not with another Paschal Lamb but onely with voluntary Peace-offerings and by this means they kept that
the common opinion of the Jews at the destruction of Jerusalem Object 4. If Christ had ordained his Resurrection-day as the day of his publick Worship in place of the Sabbath or seventh day then me thinks the Apostles in their Writings should have recorded it with the Circumstances of it namely the time when and how he did ordain it if this had been done the matter had been out of question to all men Ans The Wisdome of God did not see it good to make all his Ordinances cleer to all men at the first sight when our Saviour was here upon the earth he did oftentimes open his mouth in Parables that they which see not might not perceive and that his best servants might dig for his hidden Treasures But I may say also it is not recorded that Christ did instruct any of his Apostles of the time when nor of the manner how he did first ordain John to baptise but because all men generally held John to be a Prophet therefore they concluded that he had received some authority from heaven to baptise subjects for Christ against he came into his Kingdome which he proclamed to be at hand and by the like authority we may conclude that the Apostles did command the observation of the Lords day for Gods publick Worship in the place of the seventh day because it was in frequent use in their dayes as I have proved and they being Prophets had special direction from Christ the Lord of the Sabbath so to direct his Churches which directions in all probability they received from him at his first comming to their Assembly in the evening of his Resurrection-day or else in the evening of his second coming to their Assembly on that day seven-night Joh. 19. 20. 26. for then he opened their understandings to understand such Scriptures as he alleged concerning his Joh. 19. 20 26. Death and Resurrection Luke 23. 54. 47. and then also he gave them a new Commission to preach the Doctrine of the forgivenesse of sins in his name Joh 20. 21 22 23. and then he gave Commandements unto them and spake of such things as appertained to the Kingdome of God Act. 1. 2 3. doubtlesse therefore he did then instruct them concerning the day of his publick worship wherein they must preach forgiveness of sins in his name to all the world and this Commission he did again renew unto them before his ascension saying Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Whatsoever therefore the Apostles commanded the Christian Churches to observe they did it by vertue of Christs former command and therefore Paul saith I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 23. The Commandements therefore which the Apostles gave unto the Christian Churches they were the Commandements of Christ among which Commandements the observation of the Lords day must needs be one in place of the Sabbath which was fully abolished by the death of Christ CHAP. XVI Being an Answer to several Questions I whether Christians Quest 1 now under the Gospel are bound to observe the Lords day as strictly from all work and as holily in all the duties of Religion as the Jewes were to observe the Sabbath day THe Sabbath or seventh day must be considered either as it Ans 1 was a holy sign Or secondly as it was the holy time of Gods worship in the first sense the Lords day is not like the Sabbath for our Lords day is not a sign of a thing to be performed 〈…〉 as the Sabbath was but now our Lords day must be observed as a memorial that Christ hath fully broken the Devils Head-plot by his Mediatorial Sacrifice and this he hath declared to his Church by his Resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week and in remembrance thereof he hath now ordained that day to be imployed as the sanctified time of his worship in attending upon his Ordinances both publick and private as strictly from all work and as holily in all Christian duties as the Jews were to observe the Sabbath day under the Law and in remembrance thereof John doth stile it the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. Quest 2. Might not the Jews so much as kindle a fire upon the Sabbath day to dresse necessary food As Mr. Ainsworth seems to understand the Scriptures with the consent of the Hebrew Doctors in Exod. 16. 5. and Exod. 16. 5. Exod. 35. 3. in Exod. 35. 3. Ans I grant that Mr. Ainsworth doth so understand the Scriptures and so do some of the Hebrew Doctors But yet withall I say that the Scriptures rightly understood did alwayes allow the Jews as much liberty to kindle a fire for the dressing of necessary food upon the Sabbath day as it allows Christians on the Lords day as it is evident by the example of our Saviour himself for he went to a Feast upon the Sabbath day into the house of a chief Pharisee Luke 14. 1. and at the same time the Pharisee Luke 14. 1. had many other guests present for our Saviour marked them how they chose out the chiefest rooms at this Feast v. 7 8. And this Feast I conceive was a Wedding Feast though I also beleeve that the new maried parties were maried before this day not on this day It is unlawfull to begin a Mariage upon the Sabbath day Lev. 23 8. for the Jews held it utterly unlawful to begin their Mariage upon the Sabbath day See Ains in Lev. 23. 8. But yet they held it lawful to keep a Wedding Feast upon the Sabbath day and the reason is plain because they held it to be a lawfull custome to keep a Wedding Feast for seven dayes together of which number the Sabbath day must needs be one Judg. 14. 10 12. Gen. 29. 27 28. And this is a common rule among the Jews That whosoever marieth a Maid he shall rejoyce with her seven dayes not doing any work but eating drinking and making merry See Ains in Gen. 29. 27. And none could keep such a Feast of many persons in the cold Winter without the use of a fiâ—e to make their food comfortable to nature according to the nature of a Feast And it is further to be noted that whiles our Saviour was present at thâ— Feast he â—ound no fault with the act of Feasting but onely withing corrupt circumstances which did accompany this Feast 1 He found fault with some of the guests because they chose out the uppermost seats 2 He seemed to reprove the Governour of the Feast because he invited his rich friends onely vers 12. But Christ told him it had been more suitable to the Sabbath day if he had invited the poor to his Feast And yet I beleeve it was not sinfull to bid the rich for
for the Suburbs of their Cities might not exceed two thousand Cubits by measure Num. 35. 5. The like distance God appointed between the Camp of Israel and the Ark of the Lords Covenant when they passed over the River Jordan Jos 3. 4. From these eminent examples the Hebrew Doctors ordained that no Tent should be pitched in the Wildernesse nor no House in the Land of Canaan above two thousand Cubits from their Synagogue-assemblies which is an English mile and this distance they usually called A Sabbath dayes journey And this order was a provident provision both for the propagation of the Word for by such short distances from their Synagogues they must have many Synagogues and in order to a work of Mercy to their bodies that they might not weary their bodies by long travel when they came unto Gods presence to be partakers of his holy Ordinances but in cases of necessity they notwithstanding this restraint to a mile when the means of Grace did by any occasion fail in any of their Synagogues at home then they held it without scruple lawful to go further as we may see by the liberty that the People took in the days of Christ for then they did leave their Synagogues to follow his preaching from place to place and if Christ had held their practice to be unlawful doubtlesse he would have reproved them and bid them keep their own Synagogues and not follow him from place to place as they did and for the attaining of such excellent means of Grace the people also held it lawful to leave their own Synagogues and to break the outward rest of the Sabbath by longer Journies and greater Bodily labour and so we see that the Priests in the Law did break the outward rest of the Sabbath by their laborious killing and dressing of Sacrifices and yet they were blamelesse Mat. 12. 5. 1 Chro. 23. 31. and so also for their Bodily food they did kindle Fires to Rost and Boyl the portion of their Sacrifices fit for their stomacks every Sabbath Day for their portions must be eaten in the same day in which the Sacrifice was offered nothing thereof must remain until the morning but in case any part of their portions did remain until the morning it must be burnt Levit. 7. 15. Exod. 12. 10. I conclude therefore That the Jews had as much liberty in all respects to do any thing on the Sabbath Day tending to the good of their Souls or to their Bodies either in cases of necessity or mercy as Christians have upon the Lords Day but both sorts have corrupt hearts alike and have alike need to watch unto the sanctified improvement of the whole day and both sorts have the same Adversary the Devil to deal withall and therefore both sorts have need alike to keep a good watch over Satan and over their own corrupt hearts or else the spiritual efficacy of Gods Holy Ordinances will be lost and vain which is the only thing that the Devil desires to effect that he may rejoyce in the ruine of our Souls O that Christians therefore would submit their Consciences to the command of Christ to keep the Lords Day as strictly from outward works and as holily in all Christian duties as ever the Jews did or ought to have kept the Sabbath Day And so Jehovah cause his face to shine upon every Soul that truly honours the sanctified time of the Lords Day and the solemnity of all publick and private holy duties Amen Amen The end of the First Part. Holy Time OR The True Limits of the Lords Day I. Proving That the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural Morning and that the Morning of the Natural day doth begin at Mid-night and so consequently that the Lords Day must both begin with the Natural Morning at Mid-night and end with the Natural Evening at Mid-night II. Proving That the Jews beginning of the Day at the Sun-set Evening was only in relation to the date of the Person purified from his Levitical uncleanness III. That The Jews themselves did hold That the Natural day did continue after Sun-set till Mid-night Maymony saith Grateful is a Command that is done in the hour of the same so say I grateful is the sanctifying of the Lords Day in the hour of the same In his Treatise of Offering Sacrifice Chap. 4. Sect. 1. Part II. By WILLIAM PYNCHON Esq Published by Authority Printed at London by R. I. and are to be sold by T. N. at the Sign of the three Lions in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. Grace and Peace to such as desire to know when the Lords Day doth begin and end To the end they might abstain from their own Worldly imployments in the Lords own Sanctified time THis point is the more difficult to be explaned because I have not met with any beaten road from other Interpreters But I have laboured to make it evident 1 That the Sanctified and separated time of the Lords Day is just according to the Natural day 2 I have laboured to make it evident That the Natural day begins with the Morning 3 That the Natural morning begins at Mid-night 4 That the Natural day and so consequently the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural morning and doth end with the Natural evening at Mid-night And for the want of the knowledge of these things I perceive that many godly persons do the works of their ordinary Callings in some part of the Lords sanctified and separated day as those do that begin and end the Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening and for their better information I forced my self to compose this Treatise I finde that the chief ground of their error doth arise First from a mistaken interpretation of the first Darknesse to be a full Night of twelve hours and Secondly from a mistaken interpretation of the word Evening because they apprehend it to bee nothing else but a full Night These and sundry such like mistakes I conceive I have cleared I presum'd therefore that this insuing Treatise will be heartily welcome to every tender Conscience that doth truly desire to give unto the Lord his own separated and sanctified time Many godly Christians to my knowledge have been much exercised in their Studies and Meditations to finde out the true limits of the Lords Day that so they might abstain from the works of their particular Calling in every part of that sanctified and separated time from the beginning of the day to the full end thereof For their sakes also and at the special request of some of them I have laboured in this Treatise to prove That all the time of the first Darknesse was comprehended in the word Morning at last and that it took its beginning from the Mid-night at last namely as soon as all the several parts of the Natural day were shaped and set into their order And therefore the beginning of the Morning from the time of Mid-night must not be ascribed to the Romans as the
first Authors of it as many unadvisedly do no◠yet to any other Nation but it is the most ancient Scripture-Computation from the very first created day and so consequently it must needs be the true beginning of the Jews Sabbath This Tenent may happily seem strange at the first to such as have long held both in their judgement and practise That the Jews Sabbath and so consequently the Lords Day did properly begin at the Sun-set evening and of this judgement and practice are most of the Churches in New England and in that respect many Professors among them do without scruple take liberty in the Sun-set Evening of the Lords Day to do the servile works of their particular Callings and others take liberty to use Recreations But it is worthy to be taken notice of that whole Churches do many times erre both in their judgement and practice or else how could so much Corruption Superstition Idolatry and Prophanenesse creep in to several reformed Churches as there hath done from time to time in sundry ages Being therefore intreated by some godly persons in New England and being also moved thereunto by the fear of God I have taken this difficult Task in hand lest to confute this corrupt judgement and practice it should spread like Leaven to the corrupting of Posterity and so I rest Thine in the Lord WILLIAM PYNCHON The chief Heads of this Treatise OF HOLY TIME CHAP. I PRoving that the first Darknesse in Gen. 1. 2. was not a compleat Night By three Reasons Page 1 The true Definition of a compleat Night It is the absence of the Suns shining for the space of twelve Hours p. 3 CHAP. II. Proving that Moses by the term Evening in Gen. 1. 5. doth not mean the whole Night but the latter half of the Artificial day and the first half of the Night p. 6 This Chapter is distributed into four Sections and six Objections are answered SECT 1. The Hebrew word Gnereb translated the Evening in Gen. 1. 5. is explaned in p. 9 1 The first Darknesse cannot be called the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 2 Neither can the whole night be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 3 Neither can the Twilight be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10. And therefore it is a great mistake in our larger Annotation in Mat. 26. 20. to say that Harab properly signifieth mixed namely the mixture of Light and Darknesse in the Twilight and in that sense mis-applying Deut. 16. 6. which is meant of the time of sacrifising the Passeover and not of the time of feasting  Our Ancestors held Gnereb the Evening to be at all times of the yeer an even and equal part of time to Boker the Morning p. 16 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Synecdoche for the later half of the Evening which doth alwayes begin at Sun-set and end at Mid-night p. 16 Gnereb is often put by the figure Metanomia for the West because the later Evening begins at Sun-set which when it is in the Equinoctial doth alwayes set in the West p. 17 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Metanomy for the last dayes and also for the last end of a thing because it is the last half of the natural day p. 17 SECT 2. Gnereb signifies such a connexion of several species as doth ever preserve the said several species distinct and intire without any confused mixture and so Gnarbaiim in the Dual number doth explain it and therefore Gnarbaiim is eleven times over put for the two distinct parts of the natural Evening p. 19 And because Gnarbaiim the two Evenings are but the two distinct parts of the full natural Evening therefore the Seventy Interpreters do translate them in the singular as one proper Evening p. 22 And the Hebrew Text doth often make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening p. 23 SECT 3. Proving by seven demonstrative grounds that the natural Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun p. 24 The Jews divided the Artificial day into four great hours as they divided the Night into four Watches p. 27 CHAP. III. This Chapter hath three Sections and five Objections are answered SECT 1. Proving that the time of the first Darknesse was called Boker the Morning at last namely after all the parts of the natural day were shaped framed and set together p. 35 Boker the Morning doth signifie Early p. 35 Boker i◠put for Gods early seeking out either to punish the wicked or to protect the godly p. 37 Boker is put for the first time and for the first beginning of a thing p. 37 Boker is put for the Sun-set Evening because the time of Sun-set is the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day of Cleannesse for then the person purified began the date of his day of Cleannesse p. 40 56 86 SECT 2. Proving that the Morning doth begin in the dark night p. 41 SECT 3. Proving that the Morning in all likelihood doth begin at Midnight besides the former certain proof from the exact beginning and sending of the natural Evening from Mid-day to Midnight p. 44 CHAP. IV. This Chapter hath three Sections and four Objections are answered Proving that the Jews Custome in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sun-set Evening was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custome because the persons that were Ceremonially purified were commanded to begin the date of their new day of Cleannesse at that point of time p. 50. And hence it follows  1 That this accidental beginning must not be accounted for the true beginning of the natural day  2 Therefore the Sun-set Evening is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lords day p. 50 The Jews were cleansed from their Ceremonial defilements in two degrees of time  1 In the time of the afternoon by washing or baptizing their bodies  2 In the time of the second Evening which did alwayes begin at Sun-set then and not till then they must begin the date of their day of Cleannesse p. 51 54 All Israel are called men of Holinesse in regard of their outward purity by their Ceremonial Cleansings p. 54 The Jews Morrow began at Sun-set in Ceremonial respects onely p. 56 86 It is disputed by some that the Sun-set Evening is not fully come untill it be full Twilight or somewhat past or else they confesse it cannot be proved that Christ lay three dayes in his grave p. 57 104 The time of Sun-set is fully come as soon as the body of the Sun is gone out of sight and therefore before it is Twilight p. 57 The time of Christs burial was at Star light p. 7. 105 They did not begin their Religious Festival Suppers untill three Stars appeared in the sky p. 60 The Jews observed a double date of the day  1 They observed the date of their Ceremonial day  2 They observed the date of the Natural day for
going down of the Sun in Deut. 16. 6. must not be understood of the very time of Sun-set but of the whole time of the Suns declining from Mid-day till it went down out of that Horizon Object 3. Though the Jews might not kill their Passeovers in Canaan in their private houses as they did in Egypt yet they might kill them at more Altars than one for the Lord was pleased to allow several Altars for Sacrifices in several places and by this means all the Passeovers in Canaan might be killed and the blood sprinkled just about the time of Sun-set Ans I grant that the Lord was pleased to permit the use of many Altars and High-places in the dayes of Samuel for there The Lord permitted many private Altars in the dayes of Samuel but he allowed but one publick Altar for the general Feasts of the twelve Tribes and for the Passeover day and for the daily Morning and Evening Sacâ—ifice was an Altar at Gilgal 1 Sam. 10. 8. 1 Sam. 11. 15. Secondly There was an Altar at Betbel 1 Sam. 10. 3. 5. Thirdly At Mizpeh 1 Sam. 7. 9. Judg. 21. 1 4. Fourthly At Ramab 1 Sam. 7. 17. and there were several Altars also in the dayes of Elijah for he complained to God that Jezabel had broken down his Altars But notwithstanding all this no Passeover might be killed at any of these Altars for the Passeover in Canaan was commanded to be observed as a general Feast but these Altars were private Altars onely raised by Gods allowance by some particular person upon some special occasion and were after permited to be used by some adjacent Tribe or persons and in that respect these Altars were made but of earth or stone that was unhewn But the Altar that God commanded to be erected as the general publick Altar of all the twelve Tribes was made of brasse at the cost of the twelve Tribes and this was placed at first in the Lords Tabernacle in the Wildernesse afterwards this Tabernacle together with the brazen Altar was placed by Joshua and the whole Congregation in Shilo in the Tribe of Ephraim Josh 18. 1. and there it continued for the place of the general Assembly of all the twelve Tribes for three hundred and fifty yeers till the death of Eli but after the Philistims had taken the Lords Aark 1 Sam. 4. 10 11. and slain the most valiant men of Ephraim in that battel Psal 78. 9. God was wroth with Shilo and forsook it Psal 78. 60. for by that great destruction of all the valiant men of Ephraim Shilo was now become too weak a place to guard the holy Tabernacle and the holy Altar and therefore it was by the Lords advice removed to Gibbeon 2 Chron. 1. 3 4 5. which was a Royal City and a place of great strength Josh 10. 2. lying in the Tribe of Benjamin and it was allotted to the Priests Josh 21. 17. and the Gibbeonites the ancient inhabitants were given to the Priests to cut wood and draw water for the house of the Lord Josh 9. 21 23. 27. and afterwards in Solomons dayes they were called Nethinims 1 Chron. 9. 2. And from henceforth this place was called the chief High-place because the Lords Tabernacle and the Lords Altar were placed therein 1 King 3. 4. and in that respect David took care to provide a competent number of Priests to attend it But afterwards when David had recovered the Ark from the Philistims and had brought it into the Tent that he had provided for it in Jerusalem He divided the Priests into two parts and he appointed Asaph and his brethren to minister before the Lord at Jerusalem 1 Chron. 16. 37. and he appointed Zadoc and his brethren to minister at the Lords brazen Altar at his Tabernacle at Gibbeon 1 Chron. 16. 39. But when Solomon had finished his Temple he caused the Priests first of all to bring the Ark of the Lord into its place provided for it in the Temple and then he caused the Priests to bring up the Tabernacle of the Congregation with all the holy vessels into the Temple 1 King 8. 4. and after this manner the Lord refused Ephraim and chose the Tribe of Judah and Mount Sion of Benjamin which he loved Psal 78. 68. This brazen Altar was made and consecrated to be the publick Altar for the General Assemblies of all the twelve Tribes Exod. 27. 1. Numb 7. 1. and in that respect where ever this Altar was placed there was the chief High place untill Solomon had made another brazen Altar in the place of it 2 Chron. 4. 1. At this Altar was offered the daily Morning and Evening sacrifices for all the twelve Tribes and the Passeovers of all the twelve Tribes and they might not be offered in any of the former private High places The Hebrew Doctors say They sacrificed not the Passeover in a private High-place no not in the time when private High-places were permitted and whosoever offereth the Passeover in a private High-place is beaten for it is said in Deut. 16. 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover in any of thy gates we have been taught that this is a prohibition to kil it in a private High-place although it be in the time when private High-places were permitted See Ains in Deut. 16. 5. and such a private Altar as this was at Bethlem where Ishai had a yeerly Sacrifice and Feast for all the family 1 Sam. 20. 26. and such a private Altar as this did Saul build with stone 1 Sam. 14. 35. And of these Altars it is said that when Asa and Jehosaphat destroyed the Idolatrous High-places that they did not destroy these High-places 1 King 22. 43. 2 Chron. 15. 17. Now from all the premises it follows That seeing they might not kill their Passeovers at several High-places nor sprinkle the blood on several Altars but at the general High-place and at the general Altar onely That all the Passeovers in Canaan could not be killed and their blood sprinkled in so short a time as about the time of Sun-set and therefore that Command in Deut. 16. 6. at the going down of the Sun must not be understood of the Sun-set Evening but it must be understood of the whole time of the Suns declining from Mid-day till Sun-set just according to the time of the two Evenings in Exod. 12. 6. 2. Let me adde another Reason why the going down of the Sun in Deut. 16. 6. cannot be understood of the time of Sun-set namely The Passeover day was no Sabbath it was but a half holy-day because the fifteenth day according to the date of the person purified began at Sun-set but no Passeover might be sacrificed after the fifteenth day was come but all are commanded to be sacrificed in the fourteenth day at Even 3. No other part of the fourteenth day was commanded to be kept holy but the Evening of the fourteenth day The Jerusalemy and the Babylonian Thalmuds say that men