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
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
but a connexing or conjoyning of two or more things together without confounding their distinct species and there are no other distinct species in Gen. 1. 5. to be conjoyned together but the Light called Day and the Darknesse called Night But the first darknesse was pure darknesse and no other thing was connexed to it til the Light was created and that connexion though at the first it might have been called Gnereb yet now it must not be called Gnereb because it pleased Good to call it Boker the morning Therefore the first Darknesse by it selfe considered cannot be called Gnereb the Evening neither was it framed into any part of the Evening at all The Assumption wil not be denied The Proposition I prove severall wayes But first I wil begin it by a particular examination of the various use of the Hebrew word Gnereb thorow out the Scripture 1 Gnereb is put for the conjunction of two persons together in a contract of Marriage Ezra 9. 2. Psal 106. 35. it is also put for the connextion of Iron and Clay in the feet of Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 2. 41. 43. which connextion is expounded to be the joyning together of the Seleucida and the Lagida by Marriages in Dan. 11. 16 17. in like sort that Phrase of going in to another by way of Marriage 1 King 11. 1 2. is called Gnereb in the Chalde and the going in to the Nations Josh 23. 7. is called Gnereb in the Chalde These instances doe prove that Gnereb is a connexion of two distinct Persons or Species together without confounding the Species 2 Gnereb is put for Merchandise because of the connexion of sundry sorts of Wares the Merchants use to joyne together when they carry them to Faires or Markets to sell Eze. 27. 17. 19. 25. 27 31. 34. Gnereb is also put for Merchants by the Figure Metonymia either because of the said connexion of sundry sorts of Wares or else because of their manifold contracts with other persons which contracts are usually made by connexing their hands together Eze. 27. 13. 3 Gnereb is put for things that are sweet or pleasant by the Figure Synecdoche it is put for a sweet or pleasant voyce Cant. 2. 14. and for sweet sleep Prov. 3. 24. Jer. 31. 26. and for other sweet and pleasant things Prov. 13. 19. Psal 104. 34 Jer. 6. 20. Hos 9. 4 Mal. 3. 4. but none of these things can be said to be sweet or pleasant until they be connexed to some of the five Senses or to some of the affections of the Soule as for example Psal 104. 34. my meditation of him shal bee sweet or my meditation shal be connexed to him namely with delightful thoughts 4 Gnereb is put for a league of amity or of confederation between two parties for offence or defence Eze. 20. 5. Jer. 25. 20. 24. Jer. 50. 37. and in this manner those Aegyptians that joyned themselves to the Israelites at their departure are called Gnereb Exod. 12. 38. and yet they might still be distinguished from the Israelites in like manner after their returne from their Captivity in Babylon Nehemiah charged the Jewes to separate the Heathen people from them which they had joyned to them in way of Marriage and they are called Gnereb Neh. 13. 3. 5 Gnereb is put for the connexion of two parties in a contract of Suertyship Gen. 43. 9. Gen. 44. 32. Prov. 11. 15. and in this respect Gnereb is also put for answering to another namely as a Surety with another Prov. 6. 1. and so Gnarbaiim in the duall number is likewise put for a contract between two Persons namely when two persons doe joyne their hands together in token of a contract Prov. 22. 26. And in this respect also Gnereb is put for a pledge by a Metonymia of the signe for the thing signified because a pledge is given to binde the Covenant or Contract between two Parties Gen. 38. 17 18 20. Gnereb is also put for Hostages by the Figure Metonymia because Hostages are given to binde the Covenant or Contract that is made between two Parties 2 King 14. 14. 2 Chro. 25. 24. Gnereb is also put for a Morgage by the Figure Metonymia because the thing Morgaged is given to binde the Contract between two parties Neh. 5. 3. Also a derivative of Gnereb is put for wicked persons that joyne together in a Conspiracy against lawfull Authority Prov. 24. 25. My sonne meddle not with them that are given to change but it may be better read Meddle not by way of association with them that are Conspirators for that is a dangerous conjunction Gnereb is also put for any ingagement by way of Covenant Promise or Contract and in this sense it is put for the conjunction of Christs heart in a sweet Covenant to doe his Fathers wil for Mans redemption Jer. 30. 21. Who is this that hath ingaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord or that hath connexed his heart namely in a sweet Covenant to approach unto me saith the Lord and in the former clause Christ draweth neere unto God for all his seed See Ainsw in Psal 148. 14. Loe I come saith Christ to doe thy will O God thy Law is in my heart Psal 40. 8. Heb. 10. 7. 6 Gnereb is put for the woofe of any Cloth because it is connexed to the warp Lev. 13. 48 49. 51. 53. 56 57. 59. but this connexion may easily be cleared from being a confused mixture because the plague of Leprosie might be in the Woofe distinctly and not in the Warp See Ains in Lev. 13. 48. 7 Gnereb is put for a conjunction of severall swarmes of noysome Creatures which were miraculously combined together with one consent to plague the Aegyptians Exod. 8. 21 22. 24. 29. 31. Psal 77. 44. Psal 105. 31. Interpretors cannot finde out the severall kindes of these Swarmes because they are not specified in the text but in generall there were swarmes of venemous Flies that did plague them in their houses and there were swarmes of venemous Creatures and swarmes of ravenous Creatures that did plague them without doores in the Fields for the twenty fourth verse doth tell us that they were plagued in all the parts of the Land but this conjunction of these severall sorts of swarmes may easily bee cleared from confounding their kindes for out of doubt every kinde of Swarme did keep it selfe distinct from confused mixture with other kindes Swarmes of Flyes kept by themselves swarmes of Serpents by themselves swarmes of Wolves and swarmes of Lions by themselves yet all these Swarmes were connexed together in their endeavours to plague the Aegyptians By this interpretation there was no confused mixture among these Swarmes as some doe very unadvisedly expound the word Gnereb in this place to signifie 8 Gnereb is put for a Desart or a Wildernesse Es 41. 19. for a thirsty land Es 35. 7. for a dry land Jer. 50. 12. Ier. 51. 43. or for an unknown land Ier. 2.
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
of light stretching it self from the West point to the North point This Observation First Of the golden list from North to East may teach us that the root of the Morning comes from the North point where the Mid-night begins by the Compass-Dyall And Secondly The golden list in the Evening after Sun-set from West to North may teach us that the Evening doth reach unto Mid-night or to the North point Thirdly I prove that the Natural Morning doth begin at Mid-night because the morning of the fifteenth day of Nishan began at Mid-night I collect it thus Moses at the first passeover in Egypt gave a very strict charge to all the Israelites that no man should go out of the door of his house untill the Morning Exod. 12. 22. namely not untill the morning of the fifteenth day was come this was Moses express charge Hence I reason thus if any man of Israel had gone out of the door of his house before the morning of the fifteenth day was truely come contrary to this charge as those did that went out of the door of their houses to gather Manna on the Sabbath-day morning they would have been condemned as Transgressors for it as they were that gathered Manna on the Sabbath day morning Exod. 16. 27. 28. But all the people of Israel went out of the doors of their houses either at Mid-night or presently after as it appears by ver 33. and 39. and yet none of them were condemned as transgressors for it But on the contrary their exact obedience to all Moses commands is twice over testified in ver 28. and twice over again in ver 50. The Text saith they did all things as God commanded Moses and Aaron so did they Even as exactly as Noah did in making the Arke Gen. 6. 22. or as Moses did in making the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 16. for their obedience is alike set out by the same double expression Therefore seeing all the people were thus exact in their obedience to all Moses commands it follows that they did not go out of the doors of their houses untill the morning of the fifteenth day was come and yet they went out of the doors of their houses at Mid-night or presently after because they knew that the morning of the fifteenth day was begun at Mid-night Yea It is evident that Moses intended they should all go out of their doors in the Morning presently after Mid-night because he had foretold them that all the first-born of Egypt should be slain at Mid-night Exod. 11. 4. 5. And secondly He had foretold them that the Egyptians would thrust them out of Egypt v. 1. and that the Nobles would come and bow down to Moses saying Go thou out and all the people at thy feet Exod. 11. 8. Yea Moses did prepare them for a sudden departing from their houses because he commanded to eat the Passeover with their loyns girded with their shooes on their feet and with their staves in their hands and to eat it in haste Exod. 12. 11. all these things do testifie that Moses intended they should go out of the doors of their houses as soon as ever the morning of the fifteenth day was come and he meant it was come as soon as Midnight was come Object 5. I grant that all Israel departed out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of Nishan Numb 33. 3. But how prove you that they began their journey at Midnight or that the fifteenth day began at Mid-night Answ The circumstances of the Text do prove it plain enough for as soon as the Egyptians saw all their first-born slain at Mid-night they feared lest they should be all slain and therefore they did urge the Israelites in all haste to depart and the Israelites knew all this before-hand and accordingly they prepared for their speedy departure and because of this their preparation they are said to depart out of Egypt in the night Deut. 16. 1. compared with Exod. 12. 29. 31 42. The Egyptians therefore as soon as their first-born were slain at Midnight urged the Israelites in haste to depart and then also the Israelites did depart out of the doors of their houses because the morning of the fifteenth day was come but yet they could not fully depart out of Egypt untill the body of the self same day was come namely not till it was Mid-day See Ains in Exod. 12. 41. they had many businesses to do after they went out of the doors of their houses before they could fully depart for they must assemble together 600000 men besides women and children and many connexed people and cattle and before all this could be put into a fit posture for their orderly marching away it was Mid-day and yet they made extraordinary haste to bring things thus soon to passe and through their great haste they took their Dough as it was unleavened and carried it upon their shoulders ver 34. and thenceforth the fifteenth of Nishan was commanded to be remembred and to be observed as a Festivall Sabbath for ever and as the first day of the Feast of unleavened bread Exod. 13. 3. Lev. 23. 7. Deut. 16. 3. Their Journey in the night began in this order as soon as the first-born of Pharaoh and the Nobles were slain at Mid-night then in their perplexed fear they did hastily call up Moses and Aaron to depart and then they gave the Alarm to the rest and as the first of them marched through the land of Goshen the rest fell in by Troops but before they could be all marshalled to depart in fit order it was Mid-day and in this sort their march began at Mid-night and was compleated by Mid-day according to Numb 33. 3. Conclusion From all the premises which I have laid down under three Heads or Sections it follows That the time of the first darkness after the Creation of the Earth was Morning and not Evening And secondly That it began at that time which the God of Nature made Mid-night at last namely as soon as all the parts of the Naturall day were formed and framed together CHAP. IV. Proving That the Jewes Custom in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sun-set Evening was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custom namely Because the persons that were ceremonially purified from their ceremonial Defilements were commanded to begin their new day of cleanness then and hence it follows first That that accidental beginning of the Day must not be accounted for the true beginning of the Natural Day And Secondly Hence it follows That it is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening as the Jews did by their ceremonial Custom onely SECT 1. THe Jews were often guilty of sundry degrees of sins of uncleanness against the Ceremonial Law besides their sins against the Moral Law as you may find them noted and distinguished by Mr. Ainsworth in Lev. 11. 24 25 32. and in Lev. 12. 6. and in Lev. 22. 7. compared with Numb
another place he calleth it the fifteenth day Thus have I proved not only by Scripture but also by the consent of the Hebrew Doctors that the Sun-set evening is a true part of the former day though it be also the beginning of a new day to the person purified by a Ceremonial institution CHAP. VI. Proving that the Day of Reconciliation was an extraordinary long Sabbath and an extraordinary long Fasting-day and therefore the beginning of this day ought not to be alleged as an exemplary Pattern neither for the beginning of any other Fasting day nor yet for the beginning of the Lords Day THe Law saith thus in Lev. 23. 32. yee shall afflict your Souls in the ninth day of the Month in the evening from evening to evening you shal rest your Sabbath This Sabbath was singular from other Sabbaths in two regards 1 No other Sabbath was like it for the services of it 2 No other Sabbath was like it for the length of it 1 No other Sabbath was like it for the services of it For 1. All the Sacrifices of this day were commanded to be done by the High Priest only but on other Sabbaths they might be done by any other Priest as well as by the High Priest 2 There were more Burnt-offerings commanded to be offered for the publick on this Sabbath than on any other Sabbath 3 More Incense must be offered on this day than on any other day 4 There was more often sprinkling of blood on this day than on any other day 5 The High Priest did oftener wash on this day than on any other day 6 He used more sorts of Priestly garments on this day than on any other day 7 He did more often change his Garments on this day than on any other day 8 The High Priest did enter into the Holy of Holies on this day and on no day else all the yeer long and thus no day was like this Sabbath in the services of it 2 No day was like this day for the length of it neither in respect of the fast nor in respect of holy Rest of it For though it was commanded to bâ— observed in the tenth day of the seventh month Lev. 23. 27. yet it was also commanded to begin in the Evening of the ninth day Lev. 23. 32. This Evening of the ninth day hath a double interpretation 1 Some understand it of the sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day 2 Some understand it of the Evening at the end of the ninth day where the tenth day begins 1 In the first sense Maymony saith They began to afflict their souls in the Evening of the ninth day next before the tenth day and so they tarried in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day In these words you see that Maymony doth not hold this fast to begin with the tenth day at the Sun-set Evening according to the date of the new day of the person purified but in the evening of the ninth day next before the tenth day And Maymony saith moreover That they must abide in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day This early beginning and this late ending of this fasting-day doth increase the length of this day beyond the length of any other fasting-day or of any other Sabbath day 2 This clause In the ninth day of the month in the Evening is thus read by the Greek Interpreters From the ninth of the month from the Evening and thus they vary the Dreposition from In to From and their Translation agreeth fitly to the next clause from Even unto Even you shall Rest your Sabbath and by this reading we may see that the Seventy do make the latter Evening of the ninth day to be a true part of the ninth day though it were also the beginning of the tenth day according to the date of the person purified 3 Hence it is also evident that Moses did not hold the naturall beginning of the tenth day to begin at the Sun-set evening of the ninth day for then Moses words should have run thus From the tenth of the month from the Evening but Moses doth not say so but from the ninth of the month from the Evening either he must mean it to begin from the Sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day as Maymony expounds it or secondly from the latter Evening of the ninth day as a true part of the ninth day as the Seventy understand it or thirdly from the Ceremonial beginning of the ninth day which begins at the Sun-set Evening before the ninth day But then 4 If you will take this phrase from Even to Even to be from the Evening of the ninth day according to the date of the person purified then all the ninth day must be a fasting day as well as the tenth day for the Evening of the ninth day is the beginning of the ninth day according to the date of the person purified but if you desire to avoid this grosse absurdity then you must grant that the natural Evening of the ninth day did not begin but end the ninth day as the Seventy Interpreters do carry it 5 They that do place the natural Evening at the beginning of the ninth day and yet do allow the Sacrifice Evening to be placed at the end of the ninth day they do thereby place the natural morning of the ninth day between the two Evenings of the ninth day and so they do make the morning Sacrifice to be killed between the two Evenings but when men will not receive the truth in the love of it it is just with God to let them run into such absurd consequences as these 6 This fasting-day was longer than any other fasting-day for all other publick fasting dayes were left to the Elders of the No fasting-day among the Jews was so long as the Fast on the day of Attonement was Sanâ—edrim to be appointed whensoever they were in any distress which were proclamed to be observed in all the Synagogues of the Land as well as at the Temple But they did not injoyn them to begin those fasting dayes in the Evening before with such a strict abstinence as they did the day of Reconciliation for the Hebrew Doctors say That it was lawfull for them to eat in the night when the feast was on the morrow See Ains in Nu. 9. 10. By this testimony of Maymony it is evident that they began all their other solemn fasting-dayes in the morning and not in the evening before except the day of Reconciliation only therfore no other publick fasting-day was of such a length as this yeerly fasting-day was 7 Neither was any other Sabbath of such a length for strict Rest as this fasting-Sabbath was for they must begin the strict Rest of this day either in the Sacrifice Evening of the ninth day or at the beginning of the latter Evening of the ninth But they did not begin the strict Rest neither of their festival Sabbaths nor of the Sabbath or