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
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
charge that was contained in the word Sanctified and therefore when Jesus Christ did give the fourth Commandement at Mount Sinai by the Ministery of Moses he added the word Remember saying Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it Exod. 20. 8. for about three Exod. 20. 8. weeks before this as the time may be calculated by comparing Exod. 16. 1. with Exod. 19. 1. Christ Jesus by Moses had said thus to the people To morrow is the Rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Exod. 16. 23. Lord Exod. 16. 23. Christ Jesus did not now speak these words to them by way of a first Institution of the Sabbath but by way of admonition to prepare themselves to observe it as a holy or sanctified day already commanded for how else did the seventh day come to be now called the Holy Sabbath but by a former command for every holy thing is first commanded of God and therefore that they might the better remember the holy Sabbath to sanctifie it Christ Jesus restrained the falling of Manna so that there was no Manna rained upon that day as there was upon all the other six dayes by which wonder God did charge the people to remember the Sabbath day and to prepare themselves for it by preparing the food of the Sabbath on the sixth day and yet for all this it came to passe that there went out some of the people to gather Manna and they found none thereupon the Lord Jesus said thus unto Moses How long refuse you to keep my Commandements and my Laws Exod. 16. 27 28. Hence it is evident that Jesus Christ had made a Law for the keeping of the Sabbath before he Exod. 16. 27 28. gave the fourth Commandment at Mount Sinai and no other time for that Command can be found in all the Scripture but Gen. 2. 3. and there it is couched under the word Sanctified therefore when God did sanctifie the first seventh day he did under that word not onely command Adam to sanctifie the seventh day but under that word he did also command him to prepare himself to sanctifie it for that word contains as much as if he had said to Adam Remember to sanctifie it by the practise of such publick and private Ordinances as I have blessed the seventh day withall for thy good and prepare thy self thereto with all carefulnesse From all these considerations it is evident that Jesus Christ hath ever been uniform in his command touching the sanctified use of the seventh day even from the very first institution of it in Gen. 2. 3. untill he had finished the typical rest of it by his Death and Resurrection and the Hebrew Doctors agree thus far for they say That all the Fathers observed the Sabbath before Moses time See Rambam in Gen. 26. fol. 46. and Aben Ezra in Exod. 20. Conclusion The word Sanctified in Gen. 2. 3. implies 1 A Command to sanctifie the seventh day in the practice of such Ordinances both publick and private as it pleased Jesus Christ to blesse the seventh day withall 2 It implies a Command to prepare themselves for Gods presence and so it contains as much as the preface to the fourth Command doth Remember the seventh day to sanctifie it for all sanctified things must be remembred by way of preparation or else God that is jealous of his sanctified time will destroy such as come unpreparedly into his holy presence CHAP. XI Shewing how God sanctified the outward Rest of the seventh Day to be a typical sign both of his own Rest and of mans Rest in the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devils Head-plot for mans Redemption GOd did not sanctifie the outward rest of the seventh day as a typical sign of his Resting from the labour of his visible Creation as I have elsewhere noted But God Rested the seventh day and sanctified that day of Rest because his soul did now rest upon the Rock Christ who had undertaken mans Re-creation and the government of the whole Creation in opposition to Sathans Head-plot then Gods Soul rested on the seventh day and was refreshed If God had rested on the seventh day whiles Adam stood in a mutable condition his â—est had been but an imperfect and uncertain rest because of Adams speedy fall God did not therefore rest nor sanctifie that rest as a typical sign of his rest and of mans rest in the Seed of the Woman till after Adams Fall and Re-creation as I have noted formerly And it is evident that God did not ordain the holy Rest of the seventh day nor any other thing to be a sanctified sign of his grace in Christ as long as any of those things did lack any thing to the perfection thereof As for example 1 When God sanctified the Tabernacle as a type of the humane nature of Christ he did not sanctifie it that is to say he did not command it to be sanctified as long as it lacked any thing to the perfection thereof but as soon as it had its perfection of being finished and reared up he sanctified it Num. 7. 1. 2 They did not sanctifie the Altar untill it was finished and made perfect neither might they offer any offering upon the Altar after it was made untill it was sanctified by the holy anointing oyl c. 3 God did not sanctifie Aaron and his Sons as a type of the Priestly Person of Christ untill they had compleatly fulfilled all the typical Ceremonies that did appertain to their Priestly Office Ex. 28. 3. 41. Ex. 29. 1. 9. Lev. 8. 10. 4 God did not sanctifie the first-born of Israel to his service untill he had perfectly redeemed them from the destruction that fell upon all the First-born of Egypt Num. 8. 17. but then after they were perfectly delivered he commanded Moses to speak to all Israel to sanctifie them to the Lord Exod. 13. 2. namely after a new Moon had gone over them for untill a new Moon had gone over them they lacked of the time that God had appointed for their redemption and then their price was given to the Lord Lev. 27. 6. 5 God did not command the Holy City to be sanctified untill the wall was finished and the doors thereof set up but as soon as all this was finished and perfected then it was sanctified and the Dedication thereof kept with great joy Neh. 3. 1. with Neh. 12. 27. c. Now from these and such like Instances It follows that God could not be said to sanctifie the outward rest of the seventh day to be a typical sign of his Rest and of mans Rest in the Mediator as long as Adam stood in a mutable or unconfirmed condition But as soon as God had perfected his Creation by a Re-creation and had established the Government of all upon the Rock Christ whose work is perfect then God blessed and sanctified the seventh day because in it he had rested from all his Work which God had created and made But
Church shall think best for their own conveniencies yea it may be that some particular Churches may grow so corrupt that they may think one day in a month sufficient and others may think one day in two or three months sufficient for Gods publick worship and who can prevent such disorders as these if Jesus Christ hath not established a standing day There are some that professe Christianity that think that Jesus Christ hath not established a certain publick day in place of the seventh day and therefore they do still hold the Jewish Sabbath together with the Lords day As for example The Melchites or Syrians who are esteemed for number to be the greatest Sect of Christians in the Orient these do confound the day of Gods publick worship for they and the Maronites their neighbours do observe the Jewish Sabbath as solemnly as the Lords day See Brerewood in his Inquiries p. 129. And the Habbissines of Ethiopia who are another large Territory of Christians they also do reverence the Jewish Sabbath equal to the Lords day See Brerewood p. 155. But blessed be God that hath given the Churches of Europe a cleerer understanding of his will touching the day of his publick worship and yet notwithstanding it is also much to be lamented that some Christians do not onely hold the seventh day to be abolished but also that Christ Jesus hath not established any publick day in the place of the old But let me reason a little further Can any man that is well acquainted with the order of the Commandements of the first Table think that Christ who blessed the seventh day with several Ordinances for the good of faln man and that sanctified that day for the exercise of the said Ordinances should now obliturate that Commandement and sanctifie no day at all for the exercise of his said Ordinances Can any man think that Christ should now after his death be so far unlike to his first pattern Surely me thinks none should be so inconsiderate The holy Rest of the seventh day as it was a typical sign so I grant it to be abolished but not without any other in the place of it but by way of exchange for the next day And this the blessed Martyr Stephen doth explain to be the truth for when he was accused for affirming that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy the holy place and change the Customes that Moses had delivered unto them Act. 6. 14. his false witnesses did affirm this word Act 6. 14. Change against Stephen as if it had been an odious heresie to say so but how doth Stephen answer to this Accusation Doth he deny it No he doth acknowledge it to be a truth in it self and therefore in his Oration to the High Synedrion he doth confirm this to be a truth by saying thus to them Solomon built him a house Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands as saith the Prophet in Es 66. 1. What house will ye build for me saith the Lord or what place is it that I should rest in Hath not my hand made all these things Act. 7. 47. to 50. with these words Stephen doth conclude his Oration In these words he doth reprove the High Act. 7. 47. Synedrion because of their obstinate opposing the former Doctrine for his Doctrine tended to prove that God would not rest locally in a Temple made with mans hands and so consequently not in any other outward signs implying that God would onely rest in Christ the true Temple whom they had flain His false accusers did repeat though at unawares and as it were translate the words of the Angel Gabriel in Dan. 9. 26 27. Dan. 9. 26 27. namely that the Messiah should by his death destroy the City and Sanctuary and cause Sacrifice and Oblation to cease and this very thing in true effect Stephen had taught namely that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy the holy place and change the Customes that Moses had delivered and so consequently change the Sabbath and the Lord from heaven did justifie Stephen for this speech even in the face of the High Synedrion for as he looked stedfastly into heaven he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God And as he avouched this before them all Act. 7. 55 56. they that sate in the Council looked Act. 6. 15. Act. 7. 55. stedfastly on him and saw his face as the face of an Angel Act. 6. 15. And this doth evince that as Stephen did justifie his Doctrine by the words of the Angel Gabriel so God did justifie him by making his face to shine before the Council as the countenance of the Angel Gabriel by which miraculous glory in his countenance the Council might have seen that his Doctrine was warranted by the words of the Angel Gabriel Stephen affirmed that which his false witnesses affirmed against him as a blasphemous thing that Jesus of Nazaret should change the Customes of Moses Hence I reason thus If Jesus should do it then he did not leave it to be done in an arbitrary way by the discretion of particular Churches But Jesus himself did it Mark the phrase of speaking Jesus of Nazaret shall change the That Christ Jesus made three main changes in the ten Commandements Customes of Moses And it is also observable that Jesus of Nazaret did make three main changes in the ten Commandements two in the outward form of his publick worship contained in the second Commandement and one touching the day of his publick worship in the fourth Commandement 1 He changed Circumcision and all typical purifyings which were commanded in the second Commandement into the Sacramental Seal of Baptism 2 He changed the Passeover and all typical Sacrifices which were also commanded in the second Commandement into the Sacramental Seal of the Lords Supper 3 He changed the seventh day as it was a typical sign by translating it to the first day of the week wherein Christ rose as a Lord and Conqueror of Satans Head-plot for the day of his publick worship as the seventh day was at first And the Apostle Paul doth reason much after the same manner as Stephen did If saith he the Priesthood be changed there must Heb. 7. 12. of necessity be a change of the Law Heb. 7. 12. but the Priesthood is changed for Christ was not of the Tribe of Levie but of Judah neither was he made a High-priest by man according to the Law of the carnal Commandement but by God after the power of endlesse life therefore Christ did not leave it to the power of his particular Churches to change the Ordinances of Moses but he had power from God to do it He taketh away the first that he Heb. 9. 10. might establish the second Heb. 9. 10. that is to say Christ onely had power to take away Sacrifices and all the other Customes of Moses that so he might ratifie his own Sacrifice in the
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