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
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
several purposes p. 61. 95 96. at Object 18 CHAP. V. Proving that the Passeover-Evening did begin and end according to the Natural Evening from Mid-day to Midd-night p. 63 And in this Chapter eighteen Objections are Answered Some think that no other Evening belonged to the Jews Sabbath but the Evening before the Sabbath but they are much mistaken for that was the Evening of the Sabbath no otherwise but onely in relation to the date of the person purified But the proper Evening of the Sabbath it self begun at Mid-day and ended at Mid-night as the Passeover Evening did p. 64. 110. 95. at Object 18. All Passeovers were Sacrifices and therefore the blood of them all must be sprinkled at the Lords Altar in his Temple p. 69 Blood was the Lords portion and in that respect he did prohibit the Jews to eat blood and likewise some sorts of fat p. 69 The Lord permitted many private Altars for Sacrifice in the dayes of Samuel for the use of a particular person or Tribe but he allowed but one publick Altar for the publick Sacrifices of all thâ— twelve Tribes such as the Passeovers were p. 70 The Passeover-day was none of the Jews Festival Sabbaths it was but a half Holy-day p. 72 No Levites but Priests onely must sprinkle the blood of the Sacrifice upon the Lords Altar p. 74 It was not convenient for above twenty persons to make their count for one Lamb-Passeover p. 75 A digression to open some difficult phrases about the Passeover because they are borrowed from the unusual known dialect of the Thalmud p. 77 The time of Christs Burial was at Star-light p. 83. 57. 105 Boker the Morning is put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day which did exactly begin at Sun-set 86 The Jews accounted the first half of the night to belong to the former day as a true part thereof in the case of their Religious Feasting upon their Passeovers and in other cases also p. 90. 51. 64 110 The second part of the Passeover Evening was the appointed season for the time of their Religious Feasting from Sun-set till Mid-night p. 93 CHAP. VI. Proving that the day of Reconciliation was an extraordinary long Fasting Sabbath and therefore the beginning of that day ought not to be produced as an exemplary patern neither for the beginning of the Lords day nor yet for the beginning of any other Fasting day p. 98 No Fasting day among the Jews was so long as the day of Attonement was p. 110 CHAP. VII Answering their Objections more particularly that hold the Lords day to begin at the Sun-set Evening p. 103 Such as hold the Sabbath day to begin at the Sun-set Evening can never prove that Christ lay three dayes in his grave p. 104 Luke saith that the time of Christs burial was when it began to be Star-light p. 105. 57. 83 The Hebrew Doctors held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self p. 110. 50. 64 The Hebrew Doctors allow no more but seven Furlongs and a half to an English mile p. 114 CHAP. VIII Proving that the punctual time of Christs Resurrection was in the Morning just at the time of Sun-rising p. 117 A TABLE OF Such Scriptures as are Illustrated or Explaned Genesis Chap. Vers Page 1 2 35 44 1 5 8 16 22 31 14 15 58 24 63 51 32 2 21 38 38 17 18 12 43 9 12 49 27 17 24 37 Exod. 8 21 22 13 12 6 19 65 79 12 7 68 12 8. 42 93. 95 97 12 11 48 12 1 2 61 12 14 62 12 22 47 12 27 69 12 29 48 12 33 39 47 12 38 12 12 41 48 76 12 45 74 13 3 49 82 14 24 37 16 12 20 19 10 28 19 22 68 22 31 54 23 8 90 24 5 68 27 1 71 29 39 41 19 30 8 20 30 19 20 52 Leviticus  15 69 1 9 64 1 11 â—4 3 17 69 5 2 50 6 9 89 6 20 24 6 26 102 7 2 14 69 74 7 15 61 87 97 102 7 16 17 19 81 86 87 7 18 64 89 10 19 88 11 15 15 11 24 32 50 13 48 13 16 4 91 22 5 6 7 55 60 22 9 10 55 87 23 4 5 22 64 23 7 8 49 83 101 23 11 15 16 87 23 15 18 40 56 23 20 63 90 23 32 99 23 40 14 25 8 9 61 Numbers 7 1 55 9 3 5 11 64 19 9 10 11 94 95 9 12 93 12 1 15 19 9 54 28 4 8 19 43 64 91 28 16 61 33 3 49 76 33 48 17 Deuâ—eronomy 8 15 14 11 24 59 11 30 17 58 16 1 36 16 2 4 80 90 16 4 81 86 16 5 6 68 69 72 76 16 15 88 97 21 23 106 23 10 11 51 54 23 15 97 Joshua 1 4 59 7 6 13. 14 28 53 8 29 106 10 3 96 24 4 59 Judges 3 15 37 19 19 76 Ruth 3 14 42 1 Samuel 1 1 21 1 19 21 17 16 29 20 5 25 20 26 71 30 17 40 56 85 87 2 Samuel 5 6 7 21 11 2 52 19 18 19 21 1 King 17 6 29 22 43 72 2 King 3 20 22 43 14 14 12 1 Chronicles 7 28 25 2 Chronicles 1 3 72 9 14 15 15 17 72 13 19 20 53 35 14 62 35 10 11 69 74 35 18 75 Ezra 9 2 11 Nehemiah 5 3 12 8 10 88 97 13 3 12 13 19 104 Job 3 9 2 23 8 19 45 58 26 7 44 37 2 46 38 6 7 40 Ps Psalms 5 3 4 35 19 5 59 37 6 76 40 8 9 13 50 1 59 51 18 21 55 18 51 78 9 60 72 78 68 72 89 12 45 89 13 45 90 6 29 90 14 36 104 34 11 106 35 11 110 3 43 113 3 58 119 176 36 Cha. Proverbs 3 24 11 4 18 76 6 1 12 7 9 2 63 13 19 12 15 15 12 22 26 12 24 21 15 Ecclesiastes 11 6 29 Esa 2 2 37 11 12 45 13 20 15 15 7 14 16 3 7 21 4 39 24 11 18 37 7 13 40 3 4 13 41 19 13 47 11 39 Jeremy 2 6 14 15 4 23 36 5 6 14 6 4 24 31 51 23 8 45 30 21 12 48 22 18 50 24 39 Ezekiel 6 14 17 20 5 11 24 26 27 115 27 13 11 27 17 11 33 21 22 115 47 15 46 Daniel 2 41 11 5 30 39 6 14 60 7 2 46 8 5 17 8 8 17 46 9 21 37 Hosea 10 15 36 Habbakkuk 1 2 37 1 8 14 3 7 15 Zephany 2 7 37 3 3 14 3 5 36 Zachary 2 6 45 12 9 36 14 7 13 28 Malachy 3 4 11 Matthew 12 40 104 14 15 23 20 25 24 31 46 26 2 79 26 17 77 78 26 18 20 75 93 27 57 82 10â— 27 62 63 57 85 27 66 85 28 1 18 108 111 28 2 118 Mark 1 13 14 1 32 60 106 109 1 35 42 14 1 78 14 3 12 79 93 14 17 93 15
Prophet to Moses the sonne of Maymon there was none like this Moses and from him also I have cited several testimonies that the evening begins at mid-day therefore seing these publick and general Recorders do testifie that the evening begins at mid-day how can they be over-whelmed with crosse testimonies as Mr. Shepheard doth unadvisedly affirm and I little question but Josephus is taken in a wrong sense by Master Shepheard and if the place had been cited it should have been examined and a more particular answer returned and take notice by the way that I do not find any other Objection in Mr. Shepheard that is of any moment but it is already fully answered here and there in this Treatise Object 2. Why do you make the whole time of the first Evening from Mid-day to Sun-set to be the time of killing all their Passeovers in Canaan seeing Moses makes the time of killing all their Passeovers in Aegypt to be about the time of Sun-sets for Moses saith thus in Deut. 16. 6. Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover in the evening about the going down of the Sunne in the season thou camest out of Aegypt Ans The time of killing all their Passeovers in Aegypt was commanded to be between the two evenings Exod. 12. 6. that is to say between the time of the first Evening which began at mid-day and the beginning of the evening which began at Sun-set so that they might have killed all their Passeovers presently after Mid-day or they might have staid till neer Sun-set provided it were done before Sun-set but they could not kill all their Passeovers in Canaan at an instant at the time of Sun-set as they might have done in Egypt for 1 In Egypt every first-born of every family might kil the Paschal Lamb. 2 They might kill it in their own private house 3 They might sprinkle the blood of it upon their door-posts without going to the Altar But in Canaan they must have a longer space of time to do these works in for 1 The first-born of every family might not kill their Sacrifices in Canaan but in their place the Lord chose the Tribe of Levy See Ains in Exod. 19. 22. Num. 3. 12. 41 45. Exod. 24. 5. and the number of this Tribe I conceive were not so many as the first-born were in Egypt and therefore could not kill all in so short a time 2 The Levites had many more businesses to do about the Passeover in Canaan than in Egypt especially if the Passeover fell out upon a Sabbath for saith Maymony They kill not the Passeover but after the daily evening sacrifice after the burning of incense and after they have trimmed the Lamps and besides in Canaan they used to kill many Peace-offerings therewith all this would require more time than the first-born of every family needed in Egypt for the killing of the Paschal Lamb onely without these other services 3 They might not kill their Passeovers in Canaan in private houses as they did in Egypt but all their Passeovers must be brought to be sacrificed at the place the Lord should choose to place his brasen Altar at which at first was at Shilo and at last in Solomons Temple See Ains in Deut. 16. 5 6. with Exod. 12. 7. Deut. 12. 5 11 12 14 18. and in respect hereof the Hebrew Doctors say He that killeth holy things out of the Court of the Sanctuary if he do it presumptuously he is guilty of cutting off See Ains in Lev. 17. 2 5 8 9. nay though a Priest did kill a Sacrifice in the Temple it self yet it might become unlawful if the blood thereof were but carried out of the Temple before it was sprinkled upon the Altar for thus saith Maymony The blood of the holy things that goeth out of the Court becommeth unlawful for Sacrifice yea though they bring it in again and sprinkle it upon the Altar yet it is not acceptable See Ains in Lev. 1. 5. If the Jewes had thought it as lawful for them to kill the Passeover in a private house ever since the destruction of the Temple as they did at the first Passeover in Egypt then doubtlesse they would not have omitted to sacrifice the Passeover now in all the places of their dispersion but ever since their Temple was destroyed they have been without the Passeover and without all other Sacrifices for the space of sixteen hundred yeers together And thus speaketh Mr. Broughton from the Hebrew Doctors He that shall kill the Pascha ever since Jesus Christ conquered Canaan in a private house had been held an open enemy to the truth of God And Maymony saith That now they can have no sacrifice because they can have no Temple neither can they kill the Paschal Lamb but instead thereof they onely use Vnleavened bread with bitter herbs and wine in their private houses See Ains in Exod. 12. 8. Hence it follows that seeing all the Passeovers must be brought to one publick place that it would require a longer space to kill one after another than they needed in Egypt where every house might kill their Lamb at one hour Fourthly In respect of the place of sprinkling it must be all All Passeovers were sacrifices therefore the blood of them all must be sprinkled on the Lords Altar done at one Altar and therefore it would require a longer time than they needed in Egypt for there every first-born might sprinkle the blood upon the door-posts of his own private house at one hour together but the sprinkling of the blood of all the Passeovers in Canaan could not be done in so short a space because all must be done at one Altar one after another Lev. 1. 5. for all Passeovers were Sacrifices Exod. 12. 27. Exod. 23. 18. Exod. 34. 25. and no Levites but the Priests onely must sprinkle the blood of all Passeovers and of all Sacrifices upon the Lords Altar 2 Chron. 30. 16. 2 Chron. 35. 11. And because the Lord did appropriate the blood of all Sacrifices Blood was the Lords peculiar portion therefore he prohibited the Jews to eat blood and also some sorts of fat to himself as his peculiar right to make attonement for mens souls therefore in that respect he did straitly prohibit the Jews that they should not eat any blood See Ains in Lev. 3. 17. Lev. 7. 2 14 26 27. Lev. 17. 6 10 11 12. Deut. 12. 27. and for this very reason also he forbad them to eat such parts of the fat as he did challenge for his own Altar and in this respect also he did challenge the fat of their Passeovers as much as of any other Sacrifice all which he commanded to be burned upon his Altar for a sweet â—avour of Attonement as the former Scriptures do testifie Now from the consideration of these four Circumstances it follows that all the Passeovets in Canaan could not be sacrificed in so short a time as about the time of Sun-set and therefore this phrase about 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